Chinese Song Translation 《一无所有》

[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 《一无所有》 - Nothing in the world.

For an online recording of the song click &cat=0&gate=1&ct=134217728&tn=baidumt,%D2%BB%CE%DE%CB%F9%D3%D0++&si=%D2%BB%CE%DE%CB%F9%D3%D0;;%B4%DE%BD%A1;;70033;;70033&lm=-1&mtid=1&d=7&size=0&attr=0,0&titlekey=572984299,2495507063&mtype=1"]HERE

我曾经问个不休................I used to ask over and over, 　

你何时跟我走..................When will you come with me?

可你却总是笑我................But you never took me serious,　

一无所有.....................Nothing in the world,

我要给你我的追求...............You needed me to chase you,

还有我的自由..................You also needed my freedom,

可你却总是笑我................But you never took me serious,　

一无所有.....................Nothing in the world

噢...... 你何时跟我走........Oh…when will you come with me?

脚下的地在走..................I’ve set off on my journey, 　

身边的水在流..................The river by my side keeps flowing

可你却总是笑我................But you never took me serious　

一无所有.....................Nothing in the world

为何你总笑个没够...............Why did you never take me serious?　

为何我总要追求.................Why did I always have to chase,

难道在你面前..................No wonder in your eyes,　

我永远是一无所有...............I’ll always have nothing.

Nothing in the world put rock and roll on the map in China. Sung by Cui Jian (崔健) in 1986 this song was a landmark for the artist and paved the way for rock and roll artists in China. The song is essentially a love song that pits love and freedom against each other.

[semantic nuance]

难道在你面前..................No wonder in your eyes,

I think your translation is more of 難怪, but 難道 means 莫非, differently from 難怪. You may try : Is it really that I'm nothing in your eyes.

By the way, I think you should read these two lines together: 可你却总是笑我一无所有. (meaning, You always take Me as a guy that has nothing to offer) .

[内森]

我曾经问个不休。。。。。I OFTEN used to ask, 　

你何时跟我走。。。。。。FOR you TO come AWAY with me

可你却总是笑我。。。。。But YOU ALWAYS LOOKED UPON ME AS,　

一无所有。。。。。。。。ONE WITH NOTHING THERE TO GIVE,

我要给你我的追求。。。。I GAVE YOU PURSUIT,

还有我的自由。。。。。。I GAVE YOU MY FREEDOM,

可你却总是笑我。。。。。YET STILL YOU LOOKED UPON ME AS,　

一无所有。。。。。。。。ONE WITH NOTHING TO GIVE

噢——你何时跟我走。。。Oh -- when will you come with me?

脚下的地在走。。。。。。NOW THE ROAD IS UNDERFOOT , 　

身边的水在流。。。。。。FLOWING WATERS BY MY SIDE

可你却总是笑我。。。。。YET YOU STILL DISMISS ME AS A MAN　

一无所有。。。。。。。。WITH nothing in the world

为何你总笑个没够。。。。WHENCE YOUR SWEET DISMISSING SMILE?　

为何我总要追求。。。。。Why CAN I NEVER LET GO?

难道在你面前。。。。。。PERHAPS IT IS SIMPLY BY YOUR SIDE,　

我永远是一无所有。。。。THAT I AM LEFT WITH NOTHING.

What a song? I would have killed this (in the good sense) at KTV ... if only I had known! Really liked semantic nuance's observations on this one; particular in reference to the last few lines where you see I altered the English quite a bit. I picture a man torn: He has finally left, knowing he still loves her ... in spite of his knowledge that she will never truly love him. Brilliant song.

Keep responding, people!

[mike39]

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.

That's great. I always used to make fun of my roomate for listening to so much Chinese music. However, I eventually realized that was one reason why her Chinese was way better than mine. Now my I-pod is chocked-full of the stuff!