英文随笔：由《红河谷》《我爱你塞北的雪》想到的/从一个歌手的角度说说歌词的翻译

三重唱《红河谷》yuanyuan88 （cover）加拿大民歌 和声自创HD
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Jo Stafford sings Red River Valley
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英文随笔：由《红河谷》《我爱你塞北的雪》想到的， 从一个歌手的角度说说歌词的翻译

No doubt, there are a lot of qualified translators in this forum. I do not have the ability to do lyrics translation as 美坛奇葩 and 柏泉did. They are definitely my teachers. But their translations trigger my thought; what is the best way to translate song lyrics into another language?

As to the title of this folk song 《我爱你塞北的雪》, we Chinese all know that the place beyond the Great Wall is cold. When the footsteps of the winter are heard, the big white snowflakes follow. They dance in the air, covering all below with pure dazzling saint-like white color. It is so breathtakingly beautiful. How could anyone not love the snowfall beyond the Great Wall? But when a foreigner listens to this translated song 《我爱你塞北的雪》, will he raise some questions like why you don’t love the snowfall within the Great Wall. The foreigner may understand you love northern snow because everyone knows the North Pole is frigid cold, so the northern place must have a lot of snow, but don’t you love the western snow or the eastern snow? These places may have a lot of snow too. Should we forget about the ambiguous Chinese words 塞北 to a foreigner? Since 塞北 indicates a cold place and implies big white pure snow there; could we simply translate this to “I love you, the pure white snow”?

I googled for a while trying to find some articles discussing about how to translate song lyrics. Unfortunately, I could not find any. But from a singer’s perspective, I think three things we may need to keep in mind. 1) The translated English lyrics had better to be understood by an English listener. 2) The syllables should match with music notes. 3) The lyrics rhythm (strong and weak) should match with music rhythm.

I remember one song Red River Valley”. This is a century old song but it is passed from generation to generation for both English version and Chinese version. The original English lyrics is as below with the Chinese translated lyrics follows. You will notice the translation is not exactly word to word to the original English lyrics, but it contains the original feeling and emotion.

Red River Valley

From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our pathways awhile

Come and sit by my side, if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the girl that has loved you so true

I've been thinking a long time, my darling
Of the sweet words you never would say
Now, alas, must my fond hopes all vanish
For they say you are going away

Do you think of the valley you're leaving
O how lonely and how dreary it will be
And do you think of the kind hearts you're breaking
And the pain you are causing to me

They will bury me where you have wandered
Near the hills where the daffodils grow
When you're gone from the Red River Valley
For I can't live without you I know

由范继淹翻译成中文的《红河谷》， 中文歌词朴素流畅，朗朗上口，流传至今。

人们说你就要离开村庄
我们将怀念你的微笑
你的眼睛比太阳更明亮
照耀在我们的心上
你可曾回想起你的故乡
多么寂寞多么凄凉
想一想你走后我的痛苦
想一想留给我的悲伤

人们说你就要离开村庄
要离开热爱你的姑娘
为什么不让她和你同去
为什么把她留在村庄上
走过来坐在我的身旁
不要离别的这样勿忙
要记住红河谷你的故乡
还有那热爱你的姑娘

亲爱的人我曾经答应你
我绝不让你烦恼
只要你能够重新爱我
我愿意留在你的身旁
走过来坐在我的身旁
不要离别的这样勿忙
要记住红河谷你的故乡
还有那热爱你的姑娘