Chinese Song Translation 《美丽的神话》

[思考题]

Over the past 6 months I've taken an avid interest in Chinese language songs as a productive means of studying and supplementing my Mandarin.

With friends' encouragement, I have undertaken the posting of English translations of both widespread classics and some of my personal favorites.

My interest does not lie in literal, word for word translation. Certain words and phrases, though poignant in their native Mandarin context,

sound ambiguous or halting in English. Rather I aim to express the feeling of each song -- as if the lyrics were as natural to sing in translated

English as they were in the original Chinese. I am not avoiding literal interpretation, so much not allowing it to interfere with the tone or

underlying concepts of each song.

While I encourage any questions, 'quires and qualms, my hope is that rather than simple criticism, we instead make constructive suggestions with specific examples.

My initial words are not the end all, but rather the instigation of further creation.

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Chinese Song Translation 《美丽的神话》 - The Myth.

For an online recording of the song click &cat=2&gate=1&ct=134217728&tn=baidumt,%C3%C0%C0%F6%B5%C4%C9%F1%BB%B0++&si=%C3%C0%C0%F6%B5%C4%C9%F1%BB%B0;;%BA%AB%BA%EC;;28175;;631644&lm=-1&mtid=1&d=7&size=3460300&attr=0,0&titlekey=2600281678,1840747481&mtype=1"]HERE

The Myth is the theme song to the 2005 movie of the same title starring Jackie Chan, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Kim Hee-sun and Mallika Sherawat.

It is a very popular love song, featuring two of China's biggest stars, Han Hong (韩红） and Sun Nan （孙楠）.

This was hard to translate, below is my attempt:

孙楠：梦中人熟悉的脸孔...........................................The familiar face in my dream,

你是我守候的温柔.........................................It is you, who brings me warmth,

就算泪水淹没天地.........................................Just like tears flooding the earth,

我不会放手............................................ I can’t let go,

每一刻孤独的承受.........................................I can only bear the loneliness,

只因我曾许下承诺.........................................Because I made a promise,

合唱：你我之间熟悉的感动.........................................That familiar feeling that I get with you,

爱就要苏醒..............................................Love needs to rise up.

韩红：万世沧桑唯有爱是永远的神话...................................Love is the only everlasting spirit,

潮起潮落始终不毁真爱的相约.................................Time ebbs to and forth, but loves never ceases,

几番苦痛的纠缠...........................................A bitter entanglement,

多少黑夜挣扎............................................ Endless bitter nights,

紧握双手让我和你再也不离分..................................Clasp you hands tight, never to part.

孙楠：枕上雪冰封的爱恋............................................NO IDEA!NEED SOME HELP HERE

真心相拥才能融解..........................................That only real love can melt,

合唱：风中摇曳炉上的火............................................Like a candle in the wind,

不灭亦不休...............................................That never stops its flicker.

韩红：等待花开春去春又来..........................................Waiting for our time to come,

无情岁月笑我痴狂..........................................A life without love is crazy,

合唱：心如钢铁任世界荒芜..........................................A heart of steel is waste,

思念永相随..............................................I will always be thinking of you.

孙楠：万世沧桑唯有爱是永远的神话...................................Love is the only everlasting spirit,

潮起潮落始终不毁真爱的相约.................................Time ebbs to and forth, but loves never ceases,

几番苦痛的纠缠 ..........................................A bitter entanglement,

多少黑夜挣扎 ............................................Endless bitter nights,

紧握双手让我和你再也不离分.................................Clasp you hands tight, never to part.

合唱：悲伤岁月唯有爱是永远的神话...................................In times of sorrow only love transcends,

谁都没有遗忘古老.........................................No one will forget,

古老的誓言..............................................The oath,

你的泪水化为漫天飞舞的彩蝶 ................................You cry for a slowly flying butterfly,

爱是翼下之风............................................Love is what lifts it up,

两心相随自在飞..........................................Two hearts that fly together.

韩红：你是我心中唯一美丽的神话...............In my heart, you are the only one.

The Myth romanticises love as an eternal spirit, that regardless of the physical changes the world may have,

the spiritual nature of love is endless. The Myth is very typical of a Chinese love song in respect to its major themes;

forbidden love and transcending love.

Forbidden love, in the sense that (in the movie) Chinese general Meng Yi and Korean princess Ok-Soo although

have true feelings for each other, are forced to repress these feelings due to their positions within society.

Transcending love, in the sense that although they are forced to separate, they believe that over time their love

will eventually bring them together.

Not once have I been to sing karaoke without this song coming up.

[creamyhorror]

I only looked at the first section, but there are a few corrections I'd suggest:

你是我守候的温柔.........................................It is you, who brings me warmth,

You're the warmth I treasure

就算泪水淹没天地.........................................Just like tears flooding the earth,

我不会放手............................................ I can’t let go,

Even if tears flooded the world,

I wouldn't let go

每一刻孤独的承受.........................................I can only bear the loneliness,

Each lonely moment that I [have to] bear

只因我曾许下承诺.........................................Because I made a promise,

Simply because I gave my word

爱就要苏醒..............................................Love needs to rise up.

Love is about to awaken

[思考题]

Creamyhorror, thank you for your comments, I particularly appreciate constructive criticism.

I've amended the translation with your comments and had another attempt at the rest of the song.

孙楠：梦中人熟悉的脸孔...........................................The familiar face in my dream,

你是我守候的温柔......................................... You're the warmth I treasure

就算泪水淹没天地......................................... Even if tears flooded the world,

我不会放手............................................ I wouldn't let go,

每一刻孤独的承受......................................... Each lonely moment that I [have to] bear

只因我曾许下承诺......................................... Simply because I gave my word

合唱：你我之间熟悉的感动.........................................That familiar feeling that I get with you,

爱就要苏醒.............................................. Love is about to awaken.

韩红：万世沧桑唯有爱是永远的神话...................................THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN’T CHANGE IN LIFE IS LOVE,

潮起潮落始终不毁真爱的相约.................................DYNASTIES COME AND GO, but love never STOPS,

几番苦痛的纠缠...........................................TWISTED ENTANGLED FATE,

多少黑夜挣扎............................................ Endless SLEEPLESS nights,

紧握双手让我和你再也不离分..................................HOLD TIGHT AND NEVER LET GO.

孙楠：枕上雪冰封的爱恋............................................OUR LOVE IS IMPOSSIBLE

真心相拥才能融解.......................................................THAT ONLY TRUE LOVE CAN SOLVE

合唱：风中摇曳炉上的火............................................Like a candle in the wind,

不灭亦不休...................................................................That never BLOWS OUT

韩红：等待花开春去春又来..........................................Waiting for our time to come,

无情岁月笑我痴狂........................................................A life without love is NO LIFE,

合唱：心如钢铁任世界荒芜..........................................A heart WITHOUT LOVE IS A waste,

思念永相随..................................................................I will always be thinking of you.

韩红：万世沧桑唯有爱是永远的神话...................................THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN’T CHANGE IN LIFE IS LOVE,

潮起潮落始终不毁真爱的相约.................................DYNASTIES COME AND GO, but love never STOPS,

几番苦痛的纠缠...........................................TWISTED ENTANGLED FATE,

多少黑夜挣扎............................................ Endless SLEEPLESS nights,

紧握双手让我和你再也不离分..................................HOLD TIGHT AND NEVER LET GO.

合唱：悲伤岁月唯有爱是永远的神话..................................In times of sorrow only love transcends,

谁都没有遗忘古老..................................................................WE WILL NEVER forget,

古老的誓言.............................................................................OUR oath,

你的泪水化为漫天飞舞的彩蝶 ............................................You cry for A CHANGE IN THE WIND,

爱是翼下之风.........................................................................THAT LOVE MAY BLOW YOUR WAY,

两心相随自在飞.....................................................................SO TWO HEARTS CAN FLY TOGETHER

韩红：你是我心中唯一美丽的神话....................................In my heart, you are MY ONLY.