Tuesday, August 27, 2013

一念执着 Translation

Didn't like wikipedia's translation. Here's my first attempt at translating! :)

So this was really difficult. In Chinese, many thoughts can be expressed using just a handful of words based on their meanings and implications. I've inserted some of the implications in an attempt to clarify meaning that may not be expressed in the translation. I'd also just like to throw it out there that I may have interpreted some of these phrases wrong, and the paradigm through which I am translating this song is through the story of 步步惊心. I tried to translate this as directly as possible, but lines with heavier interpretation are marked with asterisks  Would love feedback. 


一眼之念 一念执著

***To see is to remember, and once I remember, the memories persevere
注定就此飞蛾扑火
(We were) fated to be like moths drawn to a flame
明知是祸 为何还不知所措
Even though (we) clearly knew it would (end in) disaster, why are (we) still at a loss?

最好不见 最好不念
It would have been better never to have met, It would have been better to not (have to) yearn (remember)
如此才可不与你相恋
Then, we could have not fallen in love
多一步的擦肩
It only took a single step brush shoulders,
就步步沦陷
(then), with every footstep, we sank (deeper)

是时间的过错
The wrong passage of time
让我们只能错过
determined that we could only miss our opportunity (to be destined together)
我多想念 你多遥远
The more I miss you, the further you are
早知道是苦果
Had I known the bitter result
这一刻也不想逃脱
even so, I would not consider escaping this moment
可惜这字眼太刺眼
The words "what a pity" are too piercing (literally, like a sun is too piercing to the eye)
两个世界之后
***In the aftermath of two worlds 
只好 情深 缘浅
***with the brevity of our fate (together), we can only love deeply 

是时间的过错
Because of the wrong passage of time
我们只能错过
we could only miss our opportunity 
我有多么想念 你有多遥远
How much I miss you is equal to how far away you are
早知道结局是不能抗拒的错
Had I known the fault was that this ending could not be opposed
停留在这一刻
I would have lingered in this moment
不想逃脫
(still) not wanting to escape (this fate)

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