Ярик
Translation of Otto Dix's song "Надо улыбаться". Мы решили проблемы, We decided our problems, Серебристые слезы втекают в вены, Silver tears flow into the veins, Никуда не сбежать, You can't run down, Но ведь все хорошо, надо просто молчать. But all is well, you just have to be silent. Все прекрасно не так ли? Everything is fine, isn't it? Все у нас хорошо! All is well in our life! На лице моем Маска, I wear a Mask, И еще, и еще. More and more. Слой за слоем лишь маски, Layer by layer, Лица вовсе нет. No face at all. Мне давно глаза выжег Солнца ласковый свет. Gentle rays of sun burned my eyes long ago. Надо улыбаться чтоб в живых остаться, You must smile for the sake of survive Надо улыбаться чтоб живым казаться. You must smile for the sake of seem alive. Вены крепко сжимает жгут, Vein compressed harness tightly, Серебристые тени тебя не найдут. Silver shadows don't find you. Только тяжко дышать, puff and blow, Но ведь все хорошо, надо просто молчать. But all is well, you just have to be silent. И тепло, и уютно, Here are warm and cozy, И друг другу мы рады We are pleased to see one another, Дружно в ногу шагаем, We walk together, С песней мы на парад. With song to the parad. И слепят, обжигают, Плавят солнца лучи. Rays of sun are Blinding, burning, melting. Все прекрасно, не так ли? Улыбайся, молчи. All is well, isn't it? Smile and be quiet.
May 21, 2015 6:10 PM
Corrections · 3

Немного поправки, только ради стиля,

My first thought was, "<em>I didn't realise Otto Dix wrote songs...</em>" Then I understood )


We decided/ solved our problems,
Silver tears flow into the veins,

You can't run down (away)/ There is nowhere to run (to),
But all is well, you just have to be silent.
...
You must smile for the sake of survival
You must smile (for the sake of seeming)/ to seem alive.

The harness tightly compresses the veins,
Silver shadows don't find you.
...

We walk / march together,
With song* to in the parade.

*С песней мы на парад. This is quite hard. '<em>With song</em>' looks very simple, but is acceptible in English in a way that is complicated to explain. Normally 'song' requires an article. On the other hand, there is a rare poetical/narrative form that drops articles and pronouns (which I can't explain), such as,

"And he strode out, cane in hand, song in heart..."


Alternatively, you could use:

'...march together,<em> in</em> song in the parade.'

To be together<em> in</em> song/in prayer/in doubt = to be<em> unified by</em> ...verb.

 

Really good translation

May 28, 2015
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