A sympathetic translation from French...

[David Guyatt]

...for the Lara Fabian song, Humana. Is there anyone who has, or can, sympathetically translate, in to clear and meaningful English, the lyrics for this song?

I've repeatedly run this question through search engines and come up with the same few futile, pathetic and soul-less computer translations -- that are empty and meaningless and might as well as have been translated by a fish with a serious case of mumps.

I'd be grateful...

Oh, and here's the track in question.



Otherwise I'm going to subject this forum to a never ending and perpetual loop of the following - for which I do know the lyrics.

The choice is yours!!!

[Carsten Wiethoff]

http://lyricstranslate.com/en/humana-humana.html

French

Humana

Il te faudra partir
Au lever du soleil
Quitter cette vie
Qui tous les jours pareil
Détruira tes rêves
Dérangera ton ciel
Humana
Plier tous tes bagages
Partir avec les tiens
Entreprendre un voyage
Qui te mènera plus loin
Ne te retourne pas
Mon visage sera toi
Humana
Et poussé par tous les vents
Même si certains retiendront ta foi
Ne regarde que la lumière
Et élève la voix
Humana
Chante plus fort
Et marche encore
On parle de toi
Humana
Assouvir ce désir
D'être enfin le roi
D'étendues si vastes
Que tu n'imaginais pas
Tout tenir dans tes mains
Mais tu y es déjà
Humana
Et poussé par tous les vents
Même si certains retiendront ta foi
Ne regarde que la lumière
Et élève la voix
Humana
Humana
Humana
Humana
(Chante plus fort)
(Et marche encore)
(On parle de toi)
(Humana)
Ne te retourne pas
Au lever du soleil
Mon visage sera toi
Humana







English translation

Humana

You will have to leave
At the rising of the sun
Leave this life
Where all the days are the same
It will destroy your dreams
It will disturb your heaven
Humana
Pack all your bags
Leave with everything that's yours
Undertake a journey
Which will lead further
Don't return
My face will be you
Humana
And pushed by all the winds
Even if some will hold back your faith
Only look into the light
And raise your voice
Humana
Sing stronger
And carry on walking
We speak of you
Humana
Satisfy this desire
To finally be king
Stretch so large
That you can't imagine
Everything held in your hands
But you are already there
Humana
And pushed by all the winds
Even if some will hold back your faith
Only look into the light
And raise your voice
Humana
Humana
Humana
Humana
(Sing stronger)
(And march on)
(We speak of you)
(Humana)
Don't return
Until the rising of the sun
My face will be you
Humana




==============
My first impression of this translation is that it is rather precise word for word, maybe missing some of the undertones, but it seems reasonable. My French is really not good enough to do better myself. Hope this helps. Interesting song btw.

[David Guyatt]

Thanks Carsten, I appreciate you taking the time.

I have seen this already but my sense is that the translation is not exactly right; these lyrics don't make a lot of sense in English, and also do not appear to reflect the emotion of the song. It could just be me, of course.

[Magda Hassan]

I thought it was a fair translation actually but I also feel that like many translations it lacks the nuance. It is a beautiful song and sung so beautifully. Life affirming and unifying. The other with in each of us.

Carsten and I will keep looking because no one wants to listen to Liz and Phil the Greek's song over and over....

[Carsten Wiethoff]

David,
now you pushed me to go the extra mile...

This is my attempt:

You will have to leave
at sunrise,
to give up this life
that every single day
destroys your dreams,
disrupts your sky.
Humana
Pack all your luggage
leave with what is yours,
Undertake a journey
that will take you further.
Don't turn back
You will be my face
Humana
And pushed by all the winds
even if certain people restrain your confidence
only look for the light
and rise your voice
Humana
Sing very loudly
and walk again.
They talk about you
Humana
Quenching the desire
to be the King finally,
for expanses so vast
like you never imagined,
to hold everything in your hand.
But you are there already.
Humana
...
Don't turn back
at sunrise
You will be my face
Humana


------------

The words "You will be my face" (Mon visage sera toi) still do not sound right, it may mean something like "I will be looking through your eyes" or "You will represent me" or something other, I cannot say.

[David Guyatt]

You're a star, Carsten. Very much appreciated. And yes, I think you're correct about the face part which now suggests to me that they are one rather than two, I suspect.

A big round of applause....

[David Guyatt]

I thought it was a fair translation actually but I also feel that like many translations it lacks the nuance. It is a beautiful song and sung so beautifully. Life affirming and unifying. The other with in each of us.

Carsten and I will keep looking because no one wants to listen to Liz and Phil the Greek's song over and over....

::laughingdog::

For someone who's paternal family tree is Huguenot, I'm ashamed at my ignorance of the language - although I can get by there with a sly combination of pidgin and chimpanzee - and, of course, mostly because virtually the whole of France (very sensibly) speaks English anyway - bon accord!

But I do very clearly understand the lyrics of the following.



Enough of Frogcaise, already!

I once had a boss who's name was Pat Levy. He said he never really never knew if he was Irish or Jewish.

But he never bought a round in the pub after work...

Maybe he actually was a Highlander? Pat the Scot?

Nah!

But fuck, could he ever dance after a few Jameson's ::