September 3, 2006
Shingle Bungle
Yie-hyeon taught me the greatest phrase the other day: "singgeul beonggeul," pronounced like "shingle bungle" in English. It means "an ear-to-ear smile." I heard it on a radio commercial and asked about it.
It think I have stumbled on the perfect word. Just saying it over and over makes you do what it is. Go on, try!
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May 17, 2006
Yet More Hirasawa
This song is the one before "Red" (which is below) on the Kenja no Puropera album. Had some trouble with the relative clauses in the last stanza, and with trying to nail down "hageshiku, inochi wo terasu" in the Zambia line. Don't think I really nailed either. I do like "the night the righteous come home like waves," but of course I have no idea if it's entirely accurate. I also need a better translation for "ougon" (gold).
The Sage's Propeller-1
Korea
A flower blooms like a dance of fire
Russia
Water spreads out on the tundra
The morning our paths cross in the metro
Zambia
Harshly, lives find illumination
India
Protecting golden heaven in the twilight
The night the righteous come home like waves
Can you see? The gold is here
From far and wide they come to the temple to decorate you
With the eyes of a wakeful sage
On the day the sky clears
Gloria, above it all, overcome your body
Gloria, deeply, close your eyes and listen
The morning our paths cross in the metro
Can you see? The gold is here
From far and wide they come to the temple to decorate you
With the eyes of a wakeful sage
On the day the sky clears
The sage, who has faced the harsh wind unseen
His spinning wings begin to turn
Into the mystery of the day of his visit
I will bring you along.
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Ben Reads his Japanese Dictionary
Fun fact: Did you know that the "yuku" pronunciation of the character "to go" was used with "iku" in the Nara period, but that in most of the Heian and Kamakura periods, "yuku" was used and "iku" had become extremely rare? Wonder what the rest of the story is. Someday I will look it up.
And just so this post isn't completely pointless, here's another Hirasawa translation.
Rubedo (Red)
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
The silence of the watchman that protects the desolate garden
On the voice heard from far away, crying at the barrier
A flower blooms, and the unselfish garden
Perfectly shows you the golden message
In the dream of the old patriarch, asleep in the chattering and fruitful garden
One can hear the perfect song of that day of birth
The flowers wither, without hesitation in the garden
The golden melody, blowing like a whirlwind
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Oh, look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
Oh, look, the red above the flowers spinning without end
Oh, look, the red of the undecaying garden
Your shape lingers leisurely on the grass
The shadow on the cliff that reaches from faraway
The flowers rustle and call for the rain's rich moisture
The golden time is coming
It will descend on you as perfection
Look, the red of the undying sunset
Oh, look, the red of the flowers' unending chorus
Oh, look, the red above the flowers spinning without end
Oh, look, the red of the undecaying garden
This is actually quite a bad translation for a number of reasons. One of them is that I've completely failed to elegantly express the poetic nuances he incorporates by using words with similar origins but different meanings. For instance, the word "rinshou" for chorus or song in a round actually uses the same kanji as the counter for "flower." Need to find a way to incorporate that. Also, the kanji for "melody" actually mean "spinning rule," and so putting "spinning wind" (whirlwind) next to it is very nice, and something I totally failed to express. Finally, the word for moisture or wetness can also mean richness or wealth and "rich moisture" just doesn't capture it. Also there are probably lots of mistakes.
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May 14, 2006
The Sniper
Decided to do some translation practice on my favorite Japanese musician. Comments encouraged, especially where I deviated from literal translation. Kanji mistakes 100% my fault if there are any. To hear the song, click "Hirasawa Susumu - Sogekishu" in the Radioblog box to the right. Enjoy.
[The Japanese was originally here, but it looks like MovableType doesn't like Japanese characters as only a few characters came through. Odd.]
Sniper by Hirasawa Susumu
Far above the tower
In the shadow of the billboard
Look, a sniper in a red suit
You tried to fade away, but it will chase you to the end
Ah, your hopes of escape are shattered.
Howl, the whistle from his lips
From one alley to another alley
Howl, a one-man play of running
Now, fancy-free on the road home
DDT! DDT!
As far as you can see
The graveyard of truth
Now, hear only wails from the battlefield
How far will it chase your shuddering body
Now, hear only wails from the battlefield
Howl, convulse in sobs
From one nightmare to another nightmare
Howl, try to compose yourself
The tranquility of calculating the bullet's path
DDT! DDT!
Even on restful days
He waits in the shade of a tree
Look, the sniper in a yellow suit
The man, pacing, his terror at its peak
The apprehension of the battlefield rising
Howl, a whistle from his lips
From one theater to another theater
Howl, a horrifying pretense
Now on with the cold-hearted show
DDT! DDT!
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