Translation Help

[psyang]

Hi,

I have a request that hopefully someone on the forum can help with. My father-in-law passed away on Sunday, and among his things we found the attached handwritten poem. It is a mixture of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese.

We are sure we can get a translation of the Korean portion, but we're not sure about the Chinese/Japanese section. Regardless, any help translating any of the poem would be greatly appreciated.

Spoiler!

[OMG!WTF!]

Would this work...app that translates from images....

https://support.google.com/translate.../6142483?hl=en

Good luck. Might be something better out there too.

[Kybosh]

I hope this ends up being the Asian equivalent of a bawdy limerick.

[DoubleF]

I am no use in the translation aspect, but you only have two languages there.

The section that says: My Beloved Poem = 100% Korean

The second section is 100% Japanese. Kanji is adopted from Chinese language, but in this instance, is Japanese language.

Just wanted to let you know so you don't seek a Chinese translator only to find out that the characters are meaningless in that specific order. The only Chinese characters I can identify in the main part of the text is "Fragrant", "Plum", and "Flower". The rest looks like Hiragana to me. The Pretext (parallel to "My Beloved Poem") has something like "East Wind" and something.

I ran the pic through Google translate image and it didn't really pick up anything. Seems to think the Korean portion is talking about bridges?, the Japanese portion output is all gibberish.

[Regulator75]

Pretty sure it's Klingon.

[psyang]

Just a small update for those interested. Here is the Korean text of the poem:

이 몸이 죽어가서 무엇이 될꼬 하니,
봉래산 제일봉에 낙락장송 되었다가
백설이 만건곤할때 독야청청하리라.

The rough translation I've gotten so far for this is:

When I die, what will I become?
I will become a pine tree, tall and exuberant, atop Mount Bongrae.
I will become a man of integrity, even though heaven and earth are covered with snow.

No luck yet on the Japanese section.

[OMG!WTF!]

That is fantastic. "even though heaven and earth are covered with snow". Just great. Can't wait to see the rest.

[northcrunk]

I might be able to translate some of the Japanese Hirogana but my Kanji isn't great.

[Locke]

I've seen this before.

It says:

"Help me! I'm trapped in a Fortune Cookie factory!!!"

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Locke

I've seen this before.

It says:

"Help me! I'm trapped in a Fortune Cookie factory!!!"

[Locke]

Damned straight. Low hanging fruit bud.

[psyang]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I am no use in the translation aspect, but you only have two languages there.

The section that says: My Beloved Poem = 100% Korean

The second section is 100% Japanese. Kanji is adopted from Chinese language, but in this instance, is Japanese language.

Just wanted to let you know so you don't seek a Chinese translator only to find out that the characters are meaningless in that specific order. The only Chinese characters I can identify in the main part of the text is "Fragrant", "Plum", and "Flower". The rest looks like Hiragana to me. The Pretext (parallel to "My Beloved Poem") has something like "East Wind" and something.

I ran the pic through Google translate image and it didn't really pick up anything. Seems to think the Korean portion is talking about bridges?, the Japanese portion output is all gibberish.

First, huge thanks for the chinese characters you could identify, and the pointer to Hiragana. I would have been lost without that help!

Based on this, and from basically trying to compare character-by-character with the Hiragana character set, I came up with the following as the japanese text:

東風(ころ) えのば 香よこせよ 梅花 あるじ なしとて
香な ねすねぞ.
すがxxち らろ ぐー ね

The "xx" is a character I can't determine. Also, the second and third-last characters in the final line (ぐー) are a guess, but I think I have the right characters for the rest.

Fiddling with Google Translate, I got the following that at least makes some sense:

The east wind brings the scent of citrus fruits without plum blossoms.
It is fragrant like incense.
It is ??

Maybe someone can correct my transcription, or provide a better translation? Here are the chinese characters and their translation thanks to DoubleF:

東風 (east wind)
梅花 (plum flower)
香 (fragrant)

[puckedoff]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

I am no use in the translation aspect, but you only have two languages there.

The section that says: My Beloved Poem = 100% Korean

The second section is 100% Japanese. Kanji is adopted from Chinese language, but in this instance, is Japanese language.

Just wanted to let you know so you don't seek a Chinese translator only to find out that the characters are meaningless in that specific order. The only Chinese characters I can identify in the main part of the text is "Fragrant", "Plum", and "Flower". The rest looks like Hiragana to me. The Pretext (parallel to "My Beloved Poem") has something like "East Wind" and something.

I ran the pic through Google translate image and it didn't really pick up anything. Seems to think the Korean portion is talking about bridges?, the Japanese portion output is all gibberish.

A little rusty but what I got (referencing some of my books back from Uni days):

I met the Princess of the tower
And brewed a tonic to steal her flower
I know she hopes it'll smell like cherry
So I stirred it with my berries
If it decides to smell of plum
Guess I'll use it on her mum

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by psyang

The "xx" is a character I can't determine. Also, the second and third-last characters in the final line (ぐー) are a guess, but I think I have the right characters for the rest.

Fiddling with Google Translate, I got the following that at least makes some sense:

The east wind brings the scent of citrus fruits without plum blossoms.
It is fragrant like incense.
It is ??

Maybe someone can correct my transcription, or provide a better translation? Here are the chinese characters and their translation thanks to DoubleF:

東風 (east wind)
梅花 (plum flower)
香 (fragrant)

A slightly messy 計 would be my guess for "xx" after looking at a few Kanji word grids. The same grids say the meaning is measure/calculate or arrange. No idea if that helps the translation or just confuses it. Hopefully not the latter.

I'm glad the tip helped. I just want to say that I am born in Canada, have an Asian background and took Japanese courses/had interest in Korean in post secondary. I have an idea how the languages work and can recognize the languages from each other, but I am completely useless in the language and translating aspect. I wish I could help more.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by puckedoff

A little rusty but what I got (referencing some of my books back from Uni days):

I met the Princess of the tower
And brewed a tonic to steal her flower
I know she hopes it'll smell like cherry
So I stirred it with my berries
If it decides to smell of plum
Guess I'll use it on her mum

You're an ass, but at least you're funny

[psyang]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

A slightly messy 計 would be my guess for "xx" after looking at a few Kanji word grids. The same grids say the meaning is measure/calculate or arrange. No idea if that helps the translation or just confuses it. Hopefully not the latter.

I'm glad the tip helped. I just want to say that I am born in Canada, have an Asian background and took Japanese courses/had interest in Korean in post secondary. I have an idea how the languages work and can recognize the languages from each other, but I am completely useless in the language and translating aspect. I wish I could help more.

Thanks again! That does look like the unknown character. I also think I fixed the character for the second/third last characters in the last line. This is now what I have:

東風(ころ) えのば 香よこせよ 梅花 あるじ なしとて
香な ねすねぞ.
すが計ち らろ ざね

A rough Google Translate of this gives:

The east wind brings the scent of citrus fruits without plum blossoms.
It is fragrant like incense.
Do not forget the measure of it.

I'm satisfied with this translation for now. Not sure if it will be part of the funeral or not (funeral is tomorrow), but it does provide some closure for us. Thanks again, DoubleF - your help was invaluable. Wish I could thank your posts more than once.

[Rathji]

Apparently the Japanese poem is a Haiku that is pretty famous, written by this guy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugawara_no_Michizane

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by psyang

Thanks again! That does look like the unknown character. I also think I fixed the character for the second/third last characters in the last line. This is now what I have:

東風(ころ) えのば 香よこせよ 梅花 あるじ なしとて
香な ねすねぞ.
すが計ち らろ ざね

A rough Google Translate of this gives:

The east wind brings the scent of citrus fruits without plum blossoms.
It is fragrant like incense.
Do not forget the measure of it.

I'm satisfied with this translation for now. Not sure if it will be part of the funeral or not (funeral is tomorrow), but it does provide some closure for us. Thanks again, DoubleF - your help was invaluable. Wish I could thank your posts more than once.

Thanked it for you (though it was worth a thanks anyway!)

[psyang]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Apparently the Japanese poem is a Haiku that is pretty famous, written by this guy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugawara_no_Michizane

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Awesome! Here it is in all its glory (from the wiki link Rathji provided):

東風吹かば　にほひをこせよ　梅花
主なしとて　春を忘るな

kochi fukaba / nioi okose yo / ume no hana / aruji nashi tote / haru o wasuru na

loosely:

When the east wind blows, flourish in full bloom, you, plum blossoms!
Even though you lose your master, don't be oblivious to spring.

(Note: nioi okose yo can be interpreted as spread your scent rather than flourish in full bloom, although such a usage of the word nioi as scent or smell is relatively modern and rare in the classical period)

Thank you!

[Rathji]

Nice to see it was in the wiki. I am out of town and just bounced off a friend who spent a bunch of years in Japan and he sent me the link, so I just forwarded it off without looking at it

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