Arirang

Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo，
Crossing over Arirang Pass.
My Dear, if you abandoned me,
Will not walk even ten li before you hurt feet.
Just as there are many stars in the clear sky,
There are also many dreams in my heart.

Arirang Pass is the long road you go.
Over there is the Baekdu Mountain, [Baekdu: whitehead]
Even in the middle of winter days flowers bloom.
Arirang Mount is my Tear-Falling Hill,
So seeking my love, I cannot stay still.
Wondrous time, happy time—let us delay;
Till night is over, go not away.

The brightest of stars stud the sky so blue;
Deep in my bosom burns bitterest rue.
Man’s heart is like water streaming downhill;
Woman’s heart is well water—so deep and still.
Young men’s love is like pinecones seeming sound,
But when the wind blows, they fall to the ground.

Birds in the morning sing simply to eat;
Birds in the evening sing for love sweet.
When man has attained to the age of a score,
The mind of a woman should be his love.
The trees and the flowers will bloom for aye,
But the glories of youth will soon fade away.
Look on me! Look on me! Look on me!
In midwinter, when you see a flower, please think of me!

Castor and camellia, bear no beans!
Deep mountain fair maidens would go a-flirting.
Over the Ari-Arirang Pass I’ll cross and go.
O’er Arirang Pass I long to cross today.
Moonkyung Bird Pass has too many curves–
Winding up, winding down, in tears I go.
When flowers bloom in Hanyang, carry me and go.

Though I pray, my soya field will bear no beans;
Castor and camellia, why should you bear beans?
When I broke the hedge bush stem, you said you’d come away;
At your doorway I stamp my feet, why do you delay?
Come to me! Come to me! Come and join me!
In a castor and camellia garden we’ll meet, my love!
If you leave and forsake me, my own,
Ere three miles you go, lame you’ll have grown.

--Korean Folksong