Jag är inte rädd för mörkret translations

[sakermanser]

I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all the people who are providing translations.

[Reina]

Ok, so I've had a look at it. As English is your first language, and it's not mine, I won't say anything about formulations because I have no idea if they're right or wrong Have to say I'm impressed with your Swedish skills once again, I was no way near the level you're at before I moved to Sweden. It would probably help you more if a Swede would correct you, but as Swedish is my everyday language now I feel like I can still say some things.

In the whole of my life I have depended upon myself - Att lita på means 'to trust in' more than 'to depend on'. He has trusted in himself, had confidence in himself.

but I am no longer without your help - Like I wrote before, I think they mean he doesn't get any further without help

How far th one has come
is it always further behind - Again, terribly hard for me to translate in a pretty way, maybe a Swede who's good at English can try? "No matter how for one has come, there's always more left to go"? Something like that?

In the whole of my life I have depended on my luck - Again, lita på = to trust in. So "I have trusted in my luck"

How far one then has come
is always further behind - "No matter how for one has come, there's always more left to go"

Edit: lol, and now I see someone has already pointed this out before. Note to myself: never answer on a topic before reading all earlier posts

[stjärnor]

Thanks koelkast for your help again I know I did this one in a rush and with just a little bit of over-excitement!

So, we're going with...
- I hela mitt liv har jag litat på mig själv = In the whole of my life I have trusted in myself

- men jag kommer inte längre utan din hjälp = but without your help I'm not getting any further

- Hur långt man än har kommit är det alltid längre kvar = No matter how far one has come, there's always further to go

- I hela mitt liv har jag litat på min tur = I the whole of my life I have trusted in my luck

If we all agree these sound correct I'll go back and amend the original post with the lyrics.

This is my busiest time of the year for work, and I hope it'll settle down a bit soon so I can spend a little more time on the other songs from 'Mörkret' when they are released. I feel a bit silly that I got so much of this one wrong.

[Reina]

Thanks koelkast for your help again I know I did this one in a rush and with just a little bit of over-excitement!

So, we're going with...
- I hela mitt liv har jag litat på mig själv = In the whole of my life I have trusted in myself

- men jag kommer inte längre utan din hjälp = but without your help I'm not getting any further

- Hur långt man än har kommit är det alltid längre kvar = No matter how far one has come, there's always further to go

- I hela mitt liv har jag litat på min tur = I the whole of my life I have trusted in my luck

If we all agree these sound correct I'll go back and amend the original post with the lyrics.

This is my busiest time of the year for work, and I hope it'll settle down a bit soon so I can spend a little more time on the other songs from 'Mörkret' when they are released. I feel a bit silly that I got so much of this one wrong.

Yep, that sounds right to me! And seriously, don't feel silly! You basically just made three totally understandable mistakes, those sentences are not easy to translate if you're not Swedish, especially not if you're not living in Sweden and using the language regularly. Translating normal texts is difficult enough, translating poetry is very hard. On the second one I don't even have any corrections. The good thing with making mistakes is that others can correct them and you're actually getting better at Swedish through this forum

Feel free to say if it's too much to translate all the other songs once they've been released, I'd be happy to translate some if I find the time. Good practice for me too

[stjärnor]

You're more than welcome if you fancy translating some of them too. Lets see how things are with us nearer the time. You'll be likely to have the album before I do anyway, so I'll be reading the lyrics before hearing most of the songs anyway... 999 was actually the first time I think that had happened. Strange to translate a song without having heard it!

Again, thanks for the compliments on my Swedish (can't belive that 'Ett år utan sommar is perfect...!) doing the translations is the one way of keeping what swedish I learned 'stuck' in my head. I've had great intentions of reading the news at svt, watching some swedish programmes online, but it never actually happens! I miss my Swedish teacher, she was fab!

[(parantes)]

Oh, this is really great! I am translating 999 into Japanese and sometimes its just easier to translate to English first, because (as you said) some lines dont really works well in a direct translation. (and its even harder to transform the swedish lines into Japanese so if you can find out a way to translate it into English - it becomes much easier!)

So thanks for the lyrics, i will use some in my translation!

[(parantes)]

This is my English translation BTW and there are some really Swenglish lines in there :P But in my opinion some lines sounds more in line with the swedish lyrics.
I understand that you want to get as close as a direct translation as possible, and somethings here are translated so that the swedish meaning is better written in English (And in my opinion your way of doing a direct translation is much better). But there are somethings like "There is a light that never goes out" that i think (But dont know, of course) is referring to the song and there for i have translated it with the lyrics from the song, as an example.

999
All my life i have heard this song
This Lullaby you once sing
All my life i have trusted myself
But now i need your help

All my life i have heard this song
A song my mother once sing
All my life i have tried to think by myself
But i cant go no further without your help

All my thoughts revolve around crazy things

Those dreams we dreamt came from the borderlands beyond the Barbed wire
Where trenches were dug when someoneelse build this land while we were asleep
Now we are awake but we dont recognize us

They have destroyed our streets, burnt down the playgrounds
Where we hung out as children
No matter how far one has come
there's always further to go

There is a light that never goes out
In the songs from my growing up
All my life i have depended on my luck
but I can't never wriggle me out of this

All our ideals came from a rosy 1980s

So now we are thinking of journeys, White night, Ian Curtis
Are you Michael Jackson or Michael Bolton
Are you Pepsi, do you have Coke?
Are you profitable in your nakedness, your bruises and collouses
You have goosebumps because you are cold
Is this the best life had to offer?
No matter how far one has come
there's always further to go

All of my thoughts revolve around expensive things

Oh baby where have you been
we have already lit the grill
we have waited here in the rain for something that dont happens
And that never will happen
Is is only a weakly hinted feeling
that somethings gone lost
That we wasted the best time on envy
Further we haven't came

The 999 things I never was suppose to do
They weighed up by 999 worse things that I did x2
The 999 things I never was suppose to do
They weighed up by 999 worse thing I have already done.

[VicT]

Stjärnor have done a great job before, but in my humble opinion (parantes)'s translation is greater, some lines are sharped with more sense but still quite poetic.
Would you please make an alternative version for the "A Year Without Summer"?

[(parantes)]

Stjärnor have done a great job before, but in my humble opinion (parantes)'s translation is greater, some lines are sharped with more sense but still quite poetic.
Would you please make an alternative version for the "A Year Without Summer"?

I sure can just for asking so nice And yes, i think Stjärnor did a great job to!
A Year Without summer is a little bit easier and i think Stjärnors translation and mine will be pretty much the same.
The only line i maybe feel a little different for is "Ge mig fel/Give me mistakes" as "fel" is more directly translated to "wrong" like
in "what(vad) is(är) wrong(fel) with(på) me(mig)?" And also "faller" is more directly translated with "falling" but
i see the point with "defeated" to that Stjärnor uses.

But otherwise its just about the same.

A Year Without Summer

You are falling but are up on five
There is magic in your resistance
A miracle in your stubbornness
You are falling but you stand up again
A year without summer
A childhood without play

There are holes in everything
In those walls that we raised around
Oh small holes
It is where a little light slips in
Perfection
Smooth surfaces, nothing for me
Give me mistakes
Give me something just as broken as you and I

I read "After the flood"
Read "Oryx & Crake"
I read (in) One Hundred Years of Solitude
I give you all the books that i have
It is the magical thinking you need to pull through

There are holes in everything
In those walls that we raised around
Oh small holes
It is where a little light slips in
Perfection
Smooth surfaces, nothing for me
Give me mistakes
Give me something just as broken as you and I

There are holes in everything
It is where a little light slips in

[(parantes)]

Also. Here are the titles for the album:

1. 999
2. Petroleum
3. Isis & Bast
4. I see you
5. Lit on (Many possible meaning here - Fire it, light the, Torch this, or maybe "hot for"
6. Ready (prepared) for everything
7. Square 1
8. Colors at night
9. Let them come
10. Consideration (This has a lot of possible translation depending on what the word actually means in the song
but it can be respect/taken into account/regard but i guess it means as in "Show consideration/regards for...")

[VicT]

Thanks a lot once again and we'll be waiting for the rest Interesting to discover is Isis & Bast about. The title itself definitely refers to the Egyptian mythology

[(parantes)]

Ok, so the first five songs is released on Spotify and here is my translation based in the Swedish lyrics posted by Joakim in the swedish thread about the album
This is just a very quick translation and there are some expression im not 100% sure of, so i just make a first try and then we can find a better translation later

"Petroleum"

Rain
is sneaking down and whispering new languages
Against the windows
seasons are a memory forgotten
Tracks of the inland-ices

The ground is lying scratched up
Prepares a place for the highways
Prepare a road
for new owners

Do you believe there is something unknown out there?
That Miraculous stayed unexplored
Something hiding in the dept
Bides its time
And dreaming about Petroleum and crystals
Dreaming about fossils and dead corals
Dreaming about radiation damaged atolls
Tonight

Say
What you always wanted to say
to me
Our children will cover the blanket
over our heads
The curtain goes down and the lights off
Left is just tales
about the highways
prepare a road
for new owners

Do you believe there is something unknown out there?
A prehistoric god that doesn't wanna be awaken
Something hiding in the dept
Bides its time
Dreaming about petroleum - heavy metals
Dreaming about fossils and dead corals
Dreaming about radiation damaged atolls
Tonight

Do you believe there is something unknown out there?
That miraculous stayed unexplored
Something sleeping in the dept
Bides its time
And dreaming about Petroleum and crystals
Dreaming about fossils and dead corals
Dreaming about radiation damaged atolls
Tonight

[(parantes)]

"Jag Ser Dig" (I See you)

Above the Steeple of Klara Church* a pale and bitter sun rises
Traffic crawls shiny as beetle shell in the moonshine
Your heart rushing preparing terror act
You are fast as light but never gets away from here

And I follow your sparks below heavy clouds
And I know exactly where your heading
A lie becomes easily a truth when it comes from within
And the only thing for certain is that
I see you
I can see you, I see you - I can see you
I see you, I see you - I can see you

We nail up experts - pale men with night vision
They are circling silently above the victims like a cloud of Thalidomide
They are the calm over the country - their words is free from lead
Hold your children hard now
you will be shoot in the back if you escape

Can you build something that carry us with so little light
Now when love have become tired and blind
Can you fit all those pieces together in the end
When the only thing for certain is that
I See you, I see you
I can see you, I see you - I Can see you
And i see you, I can see you, And i see you
I see you I Can see you

Shut out reality
Darling close your eyes
Do you hear the melody in the night sky
It will take an eternity
We close our eyes
and listens to a psalm that lives in the heartbeats
Anything but reality
I Can see you - finally
My friend - i hear a song in your breaths
Straight into eternity
Darling close your eyes
And listen, but damn it you have to listen now
Because i can see you - I can see you
now i can see you
now i can see you
now i can see you
now i can see you
i can see you
yes, yes i see you

* The Church of Saint Clare

[(parantes)]

"Isis & Bast"

I meet a man who said that the game was over
He cried like child or was it the wind howls
which blow trash into the corner of his eyes
I meet two sisters - they were Isis & Bast
They stood up for the truth but lied hard about their names
I know because i stole their passports
I left my hometown like a caught thief
They call me crazy darling but the revenge is sweet
You have to be well to become sick
My life is a battle of the seas - everyone shut ones eyes and pray
I dont want to suffer for something you dont know
Nelson goes under with the flag at the top
Aye, aye captain

You choose by yourself how far you want to go
How can it be so hard?
Do you have a hard time to understand
You have your pride
Put hard against hard
Never say yes when you mean no

I betrayed my class in an election room
I tor down the pyramids in the valley of kings
Where socialism is buried
I mourn two sisters by the name of Isis and Bast
I still love them but i have to face the consequences
They kicked me off, gave me the finger and said:
This is your end of the line

You choose by yourself how far you want to go
How can it be so hard?
Do you have a hard time to understand
You have your pride
Put hard against hard
Never say yes when you mean no
Never say Yes
A No is a No
I always said yes
Look what became of me (x2)

[stjärnor]

So, I did my translations over the weekend of the 4 tracks Jocke posted the lyrics to and kent have put on on Spotify, and I see the (parentes) has already beaten me to it with putting translations up here, I've decided to put mine up anyway, if only for any corrections to my text and hopefully someone can give me the correct translation of the phrase 'Tänd på' if I haven't got it already (and the last line in that song too, which I have a feeling might be wrong). Again, it's really weird translating lyrics I haven't heard yet...


Petroleum

Rain
Creeps down the and whispers new languages
on the window
the seasons are just a memory
tracks of inland ice

The land is torn up
prepare places for the motorways
prepare a road
for new owners

Do you think that anything is unknown out there
miraculously kept secret
Something which hides in the depths
which bides its time
and dreams about petroleum and crystals
which dreams about fossils and dead corals
which dreams about radiation damaged atolls
tonight

Say
what you have always wanted to have said
to me
Our children can shroud the blankets
over our heads
The curtain falls and the light goes out
and only our legend remains
about the motorways
prepare a road
for new owners

Do you think that anything is unknown out there
A prehistoric god who doesn’t want to be wakened
Something which hides in the depths
which bides its time
and dreams about petroleum and heavy metals
dream about fossils and dead corals
dream about radiation damaged atolls
tonight

Do you think that anything is unknown out there
miraculously kept secret
Something sleeps there in the depths
which bides its time
and dreams about petroleum and crystals
which dreams about fossils and dead corals
which dreams about radiation damaged atolls
tonight


Jag ser dig/ I see you

Over Klara church steeple rises a pale and bitter sun
The traffic crawls brightly like beetle shells in the moonlight
Your heart races, prepares for terror crimes
You are fast as light but never get away from here

I follow your traces under heavy clouds
I know exactly where you will go
A lie becomes a truth when it comes from within
and the only certainty is that
I see You
I can see You

We fasten together experts, pale men with night vision
They circle quietly around the victims like a cloud of Neurosedyn (Thalidomide)
They are calm over the country their words are free from lead (the metal)
Hold tightly to your children now
you are shot in the back if you flee

Can you build something with carries us with so little light
now when the love becomes tires and blind
Can you get all these pieces in place to the end
when the only certainty is that
I see You

Shut out reality
Darling close your eyes
Do you hear the songs in the night sky
It will take an eternity
We close our eyes
and listen to a psalm which lies in the heartbeat
Anything except reality
I can finally see you

My friend I hear a song in your breath
Straight into eternity
Darling close your eyes
and listen but hell, you must listen now
for I can see You…

(*Any capitalisation of 'you' was from the original Swedish text)


Isis & Bast

I met a man who said that the game was finished
He cried like a child or was it the whispering wind
which blew dust into the corner of his eye
I met 2 sisters they were Isis & Bast
The stood up for the truth but lied about their names
I know because I stole their passports
I left my hometown like a captured thief
They called me crazy, but darling revenge is sweet
You must be healthy to become sick
My life is a sea battle everyone turns a blind eye and preys
I don’t want to suffer for something you don’t know
Nelson went down with all flags flying
Aye, aye Captain…

You choose yourself how far you want to go
How can it be so hard
Is it hard for you to understand
You have your pride
Take a tough line
Never say Yes when you mean No

I betrayed my class in a polling station
I demolished the pyramids in the Valley of the Kings
There socialism is buried
I mourn 2 sisters by the name of Isis & Bast
I still love them but I must take the consequences
The kicked my off, gave me the finger and said:
Here is your final stop…

You choose yourself how far you want to go
How can it be so hard
Is it hard for you to understand
You have your pride
Take a tough line
Never say Yes when you mean No
Never say Yes
A No is a No
I always say Yes
See what became of me


Tänd på / Light on

What if there is a long forgotten road
which no one walked on for many years
It might lead us to the water
To and underground city
Forgotten veins and arteries
Hidden tunnels under the arcades

Some of us have been there
but we have forgotten how we got there
We as missing the codes and the keys
which are needed to go back
in in in…

Into the light
Leave the lights on
Don’t put out the light
Leave the lights on

I make an excavation of Atlantis
My fingers deep in the earth
I have China under my nail
In 300 years or days
maybe we will find the forgotten roads
perhaps they will lead to the forest
Some of us have been there
but we have forgotten how we got there
but we have thousands of pictures
but no longer any memories
of what is needed to get back
in in in…

Into the light

Some of us found it once
but don’t understand what we see
Some of us found it once
but never, never again

in in in…
Into the light

(Light on Light off Light up Go home)