A Lyric Translation

[Mac]

Hello, everyone.

I started translating a song called "Where Is The Love" by Black Eyed Peas. I heard this song is great from my friend and was introduced to the lyric of this song. This lyric looks great, but I can't understand the song, so I decided to translate the lyric. I wanna translate this, because I wanna know the song well. I think it is so difficult to translate English lyrics to Japanese ones. I hope someone help me to translate this lyric or correct my translations for the lyric...

http://www.lyrics007.com/Black%20Eye...%20Lyrics.html

I have translated the lyric simply for the meanwhile.

Hmm, It is so difficult... (^^;

I hope someone corrects these lyrics, if possible...

What's wrong with the world mama?　母親はどうしたんだろう？
People living like aint got no mamas　みんな母親がいないみたいだ
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama　世界中が演劇に夢中
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma　魅力を感じているのは心に傷を与える物だけ
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism　みんな暴力行為を止めようとしているけど
But we still got terrorists here livin　未だに暴力集団がここ
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK 　合衆国に　CIAに　Bloodsに　Cripsに　KKKに
But if you only have love for your own race　自分の人種だけを愛し
Then you only leave space to discriminate　差別をするだけ
And to discriminate only generates hate　差別は憎しみを生むだけ
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate　激怒するのが嫌？
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate　狂気は　あなたが　行っている事
And that's exactly how anger works and operates　怒りをもたらし　影響を与えるもの
You gotta have love just to set it straight　狂気を捨て　愛を持とう
Take control of your mind and meditate　感情を管理し　よく考えよう
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all　自分の心を　愛へ　導こう

[*] People killing people dying　人間は　殺し合い
Children hurtin you hear them cryin　子供達は傷つき　泣いている声が聞こえる
Can you practice what you preach　あなたは自分の教訓を実践する事がありますか ？
Would you turn the other cheek?　侮辱｛ぶじょく｝を甘んじているのでしょうか ？
Father father father help us　神よ　神よ　神よ　私達をお救い下さい
Send some guidance from above　何らかの指図をお与え下さい
Cause people got me got me questioning　みんなが私を悩ませます
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the lovex2)　愛はどこに？

It just ain't the same all ways have changed　同じではなく　みんな変化している
New days are strange is the world the insane?　毎日がおかしい　世界は狂気なのかい？
If love and peace so strong　もし愛や平和が良い物なら
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong　どうして愛のかけらが一つもないのだろう
Nations dropping bombs　国は爆弾を落とし
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones　酷く苦しみながら
With ongoing suffering　若者が死ぬと
As the youth die young　毒Gasが肺や小さな子供達を満たしている
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?　自分に問いただす事は本当に愛情に満ちてい� 驍ﾌ？
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong　私は自分に何が起こっているのか尋ねている
With this world that we living in　私達の生きているこの世界で
People keep on giving in　人々は降伏し続け
Makin wrong decisions　間違った決定を下している
Only visions of them livin and　みんなが望んでいる事は　お互いを尊重せずに
Not respecting each other　生きる事だけ
Deny thy brother　仲間を認めようとしない
The wars' going on but the reasons' undercover　戦争が起こっているが　その理由は全く知 られていない
The truth is kept secret　真実は隠されている
Swept under the rug　知らないふりをしてごまかしている
If you never know truth　真実を知らないっていうことは
Then you never know love　愛を知らないということ
Where's the love y'all?(I don't know)　愛はどこ？（分からない）
Where's the truth y'all?(I don't know)　真実はどこ？（分からない）
Where's the love y'all? 　愛は一体どこにあるの？

[*Repeat]

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder　肩にこの世界の重さを感じる
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder　年を取るにつれ　みんなも年を取る
Most of us only care about money makin　みんなお金を稼ぐ事しか考えていない
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction　わがままが　私達を　間違った方向へ導い� ﾄいる
Wrong information always shown by the media　常に間違った情報がマスコミによって与えられ� ﾄいる
Negative images is the main criteria　暗い映像が基準
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria　細菌よりも早く　子供達に影響を与え
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema　子供達は映画で行われいる行為を　振る舞う事 を望んでいる
Whatever happened to the values of humanity　人間の重要性はどうなっているの
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality　公正さや平等さはどうなているの
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity　愛を広めずに　憎しみを広げている
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity　理解に欠け　結束から離れている
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under　それがどうして気が重くなるかの理由
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down　それがどうして落ち込むのかの理由
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under　落ち込むのも無理はない
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found　愛が見つかるまで　信念を残しておかないとね

[*Repeat]

I will probably re-tranaslate some of these lyrics later.

[Elizabeth]

I hope someone corrects these lyrics, if possible...

It is a very interesting song and I think you understand it at a very deep level. I wish someone would give some feedback, though, too....

What's wrong with the world mama?　母親はどうしたんだろう？
People living like aint got no mamas　みんな母親がいないみたいだ
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama　世界中が演劇に夢中
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma　魅力を感じているのは心に傷を与える物だけ
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism　みんな暴力行為を止めようとしているけど
But we still got terrorists here livin　未だに暴力集団がここ
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK 　合衆国に　CIAに　Bloodsに　Cripsに　KKKに
But if you only have love for your own race　自分の人種だけを愛し
Then you only leave space to discriminate　差別をするだけ
And to discriminate only generates hate　差別は憎しみを生むだけ
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate　激怒するのが嫌？
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate　狂気は　あなたが　行っている事
And that's exactly how anger works and operates　怒りをもたらし　影響を与えるもの
You gotta have love just to set it straight　狂気を捨て　愛を持とう
Take control of your mind and meditate　感情を管理し　よく考えよう
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all　自分の心を　愛へ　導こう

[*] People killing people dying　人間は　殺し合い
Children hurtin you hear them cryin　子供達は傷つき　泣いている声が聞こえる
Can you practice what you preach　あなたは自分の教訓を実践する事がありますか ？
Would you turn the other cheek?　侮辱｛ぶじょく｝を甘んじているのでしょうか ？
Father father father help us　神よ　神よ　神よ　私達をお救い下さい
Send some guidance from above　何らかの指図をお与え下さい
Cause people got me got me questioning　みんなが私を悩ませます
Where is the love?(where is the lovex3)(the lovex2)　愛はどこに？

It just ain't the same all ways have changed　同じではなく　みんな変化している
New days are strange is the world the insane?　毎日がおかしい　世界は狂気なのかい？
If love and peace so strong　もし愛や平和が良い物なら
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong　どうして愛のかけらが一つもないのだろう
Nations dropping bombs　国は爆弾を落とし
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones　酷く苦しみながら
With ongoing suffering　若者が死ぬと
As the youth die young　毒Gasが肺や小さな子供達を満たしている
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?　自分に問いただす事は本当に愛情に満ちてい� 驍ﾌ？
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong　私は自分に何が起こっているのか尋ねている
With this world that we living in　私達の生きているこの世界で
People keep on giving in　人々は降伏し続け
Makin wrong decisions　間違った決定を下している
Only visions of them livin and　みんなが望んでいる事は　お互いを尊重せずに
Not respecting each other　生きる事だけ
Deny thy brother　仲間を認めようとしない
The wars' going on but the reasons' undercover　戦争が起こっているが　その理由は全く知 られていない
The truth is kept secret　真実は隠されている
Swept under the rug　知らないふりをしてごまかしている
If you never know truth　真実を知らないっていうことは
Then you never know love　愛を知らないということ
Where's the love y'all?(I don't know)　愛はどこ？（分からない）
Where's the truth y'all?(I don't know)　真実はどこ？（分からない）
Where's the love y'all? 　愛は一体どこにあるの？

[*Repeat]

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder　肩にこの世界の重さを感じる
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder　年を取るにつれ　みんなも年を取る
Most of us only care about money makin　みんなお金を稼ぐ事しか考えていない
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction　わがままが　私達を　間違った方向へ導い� ﾄいる
Wrong information always shown by the media　常に間違った情報がマスコミによって与えられ� ﾄいる
Negative images is the main criteria　暗い映像が基準
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria　細菌よりも早く　子供達に影響を与え
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema　子供達は映画で行われいる行為を　振る舞う事 を望んでいる
Whatever happened to the values of humanity　人間の重要性はどうなっているの
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality　公正さや平等さはどうなているの
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity　愛を広めずに　憎しみを広げている
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity　理解に欠け　結束から離れている
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under　それがどうして気が重くなるかの理由
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down　それがどうして落ち込むのかの理由
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under　落ち込むのも無理はない
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found　愛が見つかるまで　信念を残しておかないとね

[*Repeat]

I will probably re-tranaslate some of these lyrics later.[/QUOTE]

[Mac]

I am sorry for my difficult question. I think translating lyrics are so hard and might not be good for learning English.

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

It is a very interesting song and I think you understand it at a very deep level.

Yes, I think this is a great song. I love it.

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by Mac

I am sorry for my difficult question. I think translating lyrics are so hard and might not be good for learning English. Yes, I think this is a great song. I love it.

I've never heard it obviously, but it sounds almost like some parts should be spoken and not sung -- it is very grammatically normal (sound) for song lyrics. Is it the same in Japanese ?

[Kaminari]

Father father father help us　神よ　神よ　神よ　私達をお救い下さい
- Father in this usage translates as chichi. If father is to be converted to God, given that the succeeding lyrics form a prayer, father is in the vocative case (direct address). The correct honorific therefore is needed - thus, "kamisama." The overall tone of the song is both informal and plainitive, so I believe the best translation (if there can be a single "best") for this line would probably be
"chichi chichi nee chichi."
"watashtachi wo" deleted: seems to be an over-translation.
"tasukete"

[Kaminari]

ACK! I didn't notice that Mac was a student of the English language.

Gomen, Macsan.

This song is classified as rap - and it uses a lot of dialect (hogen). Mama, drama and trauma do not rhyme in standard English, but they are pronounced as rhyming words in this song.

A simpler text would probably serve better as a translation exercise ... Shakespeare's "Merchant of Venice," for example. Joudan yo.

Learning songs is a very good aid in learning a language. However, it would be better to start with songs that are closer to standard English.

[Mac]

Hello, Kaminari-san.

Thank you so much for you opinion. I am glad.

Maybe, the word "father" means "chichi",
but even so, I think I should have translated like that,
because "chichi chichi chichi" or "otosan otosan otosan" sound very weird for us.

"watashitachi wo osukui-kudasai"
Yes, I think it is an over-translation.
But most of Japanese Christians often say like that,
so I translated like that.

I have re-translated the lyrics of this song recently.
Here are the new translations. I think the new translations are about 75% correct. Hehe.

What's wrong with the world mama?
People living like aint got no mamas
I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama
Only attracted to the things that bring you trauma
Overseas yeah we tryin to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin
In the USA the big CIA the Bloodz and the Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all

母親は何をやっているんだろう？
みんな母親がいないみたいだ
みんな演劇に夢中
魅力を感じているのは心に傷を与える物だけ
みんな暴力行為を止めようとしているけど
未だに暴力集団がここ
合衆国に　CIAに　Bloodsに　Cripsに　KKKに
自分の人種だけを愛し
差別をするだけ
差別は憎しみを生むだけ
激怒するのが嫌？
狂気は　あなたが　行っている事
怒りをもたらし　影響を与えるもの
狂気を捨て　愛を持とう
感情を管理し　よく考えよう
自分の心を　愛へ　導こう
[*]　People killing people dying
Children hurtin you hear them crying
Can you practice what you preach
Would you turn the other cheek?
Father Father Father help us
Send some guidance from above
Cause people got me got me questioning
Where is the love?
[*]　人間は　殺し合い
子供達は傷つき　泣いている声が聞こえる
あなたは自分の教訓を実践する事がありますか？
あなたは他の者達が傷付けられていという事を理解して いますか？
神よ　神よ　神よ　私達をお救い下さい
何らかの道しるべをお与え下さい
みんな私に
愛はどこにあるの？と尋ねて来ます

It just ain't the same all ways have changed
New days are strange is the world the insane?
If love and peace so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations dropping bombs
Chemical gases filling lungs of little ones
With ongoing suffering
As the youth die young
So ask yourself is the loving really strong?
So I can ask myself really what is going wrong
With this world that we living in
People keep on giving in
Makin wrong decisions
Only visions of them livin and
Not respecting each other
Deny thy brother
The wars' going on but the reasons' undercover
The truth is kept secret
Swept under the rug
If you never know truth
Then you never know love
Where's the love y'all? (I don't know)
Where's the truth y'all? (I don't know)
Where's the love y'all?

同じではなく　みんな変化している
毎日がおかしい　世界は狂気なのかい？
もし愛や平和が良い物なら
どうして愛のかけらが一つもないのだろう
国は爆弾を落とし
酷く苦しみながら
若者が死ねば
毒Gasが肺や小さな子供達を満たしている
他の人に従う事が愛なの？
私達の生きているこの世界で
一体何が起こっているの？
人々は降伏し続け
間違った決定を下している
みんなが望んでいる事は　お互いを尊重せずに
生きる事だけ
仲間を認めようとしない
戦争が起こっているが　その理由は全く知られていない
真実は隠されている
知らないふりをしてごまかしている
真実を知らないっていうことは
愛を知らないということ
愛はどこ？（分からない）
真実はどこ？（分からない）
愛は一体どこにあるの？

[*Repeat]

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm getting older y'all people get colder
Most of us only care about money makin
Selfishness got us followin the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting their young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what the see in the cinema
Whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness and equality
Instead of spreading love, we're spreading anomosity
Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feeling down
It's no wonder why sometimes I'm feeling under
I gotta keep my faith alive, until love is found

肩にこの世界の重さを感じる
年を取るにつれ　みんな冷たくなって来ている
みんなお金を稼ぐ事しか考えていない
わがままが　私達を　間違った方向へ導いている
常に間違った情報がマスコミによって与えられている
暗い映像が基準
細菌よりも早く　子供達に影響を与え
子供達は映画で行われいる行為を　振る舞う事を望んでいる
人間の重要性はどうなっているの
公正さや平等さはどうなっているの
愛を広めずに　憎しみを広げている
理解に欠け　身勝手に振る舞っている
それがどうして気が重くなるかの理由
それがどうして落ち込むのかの理由
落ち込むのも無理はない
愛が見つかるまで　自分を信じよう

The translations I have still no confidence in are these sentences.

And to discriminate only generates hate
And if you hatin you're bound to get irate
Yeah madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
You gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love y'all

激怒するのが嫌？
狂気は　あなたが　行っている事
怒りをもたらし　影響を与えるもの
狂気を捨て　愛を持とう
感情を管理し　よく考えよう
自分の心を　愛へ　導こう

Actually, I have not re-translated the sentences yet.

I also have no confidence in these translations.

It just ain't the same all ways have changed
New days are strange is the world the insane?
people got me got me questioning
Would you turn the other cheek?

The literal translation should be　「侮辱｛ぶじょく｝を甘んじて受ける」.
But most of Japanese would not know the meaning.
So I need to make the translation easier.
I am also not good at Japanese.
So I can't think up the translation for the sentence for now that everyone can understand.

Liternal translations always sound weird.
This is why translating lyrics is hard.

I will re-taranslate the rest of them again later.

[Kaminari]

People living like aint got no mamas.
In standard English "Too many people are living (behaving) as if they do not have mothers" (in short, people behaving like やろ)

みんな母親がいないみたいだ does that mean "everyone seems to be without a mother" ?

[Mac]

"People living like aint got no mamas."

Originally Posted by Kaminari

みんな母親がいないみたいだ does that mean "everyone seems to be without a mother" ?

Yes, it is. I guess I translated like
「みんな母親がいないように生きている」first,
and translated 「みんな母親がいないみたいだ。」

Originally Posted by Kaminari

"Too many people are living (behaving) as if they do not have mothers"

「みんな母親がいないかのように振る舞っている」

This translation may be better. I wonder which translation is better.

「みんな母親がいないかのよう振る舞っている」
「みんな母親がいないみたいだ」

Anyway, I understand the meaning of the sentence well.
Thank you for your help!

[Kaminari]

This is a big help to me, Mac. Self study suffers from the lack of opportunity to practice - and you seem to be much farther advanced in English than I am in Japanese.

I would like to revisit that line "father, father, father help us" :- have you ever watched Nadesico?

[Elizabeth]

ほかに気になる下の部分があります。

差別の余地（があるだけ？）　

Does it sound strange to include "room" or "space" in here ?
Although 差別をするだけ may make a nice parallel with 差別は憎しみを生むだけ
激怒するのが嫌？


もし嫌っていたら（いてなら？）、激怒になるんだろう （に決まっている）　（？）

これが正しいかどうか自信がない。。。。
　

[Kaminari]

みんな母親がいないかのよう振る舞っている I think is the better - but "people" doesn't become みんな (as far as I understand it.) You need a word that leaves an opportunity for exceptions to exist. (of course, it may be that みんな is not quite as solid in its definition as "everyone" would be.) - Did you have a reason for rejecting 人?

G'day Elizabeth. If 私もそれに自信を持っていない means "I also have no self confidence..." (not sure how それに modifies the statement) I'll take that as mere over-modesty.

[Elizabeth]

How about こんなにたくさんの人 for too many people... へへ良くわからない。。。

「みんな」でいいと思います。 理由：'Everyone' is very often taken rhetorically in English as well to emphasize "too many" in the context of making a gripe or complaint, isn't it? And in Japanese 99% of the time referring to people (or animals) as the subject which makes it conveniently efficient and natural.
英語でも意味を強調するのに「みんな」という言葉なら 、「多くの人」みたいな意味で
使うこともありますね。


とにかく、マクさんは訳す前によく考える人のタイプの ようですね。

[Elizabeth]

G'day Elizabeth. If 私もそれに自信を持っていない means "I also have no self confidence..." (not sure how それに modifies the statement) I'll take that as mere over-modesty.

上記の文に使うのは不自然でか？

で、何と言うような言い方が良いと思いますか？　それ の別の言い方がありますか？


私もそれに自信がない is the usual phrase I suppose to mean "I have no confidence in this"

[Gaijinian]

What’s wrong with the world mama? 母親はどうしたんだろう？
その翻訳はねぇ・・・

英文は、What’ｓ　wrong with THE world mamaですので、母親のWorldじゃなくて、THE worldって事なんですよ。だから、
ね〜、母ちゃん。世界の問題何だ？の方がいいと思いま すね。

[Kaminari]

It is possible that I am too literally minded, よさりお

[Gaijinian]

I think the whole worlds addicted to the drama　世界中が 演劇 に夢中:

This "drama" is not the "play" type.

Drama:
3 a : a state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces b : dramatic state, effect, or quality <the drama of the courtroom proceedings>