2014/01/25

Let It Go (Filipino lyrics, version 1.0)

Note: The heavily revised lyrics (version 2.3) can be found here.


A few days ago, Disney released the video of Let It Go sung in 25 languages.



A couple of people complained online about the lack of a Filipino version. Here's my initial, liberal, and half-assed attempt at translating the song's lyrics for those desperate enough to try singing it:



Latag ang niyebe sa bundok
Walang makita na bakas
Reyna ng kahariang
Nawawalan ng landas

Ihip ng hangin ay walang katapusan
Pagkabalisa'y 'di mapigilan

Huwag magwala, huwag ipakita
Isuot mo ang 'yong maskara
Ilihim ang kakayahang
Kakaiba

Lumaya, lumaya
Ilabas na ang lahat
Lumaya, lumaya
Ako'y wala nang katapat
'Di ko na bibigyan pansin
Ang mga pintas
Sila'ng 'di magtatagal sa lamig

Mula dito problema'y 'di na 'ko maabot
Kay gaan ng kaloobang walang damang takot
Hihigitan ang hangganan
Wasakin ang mga harang
Batas, antas, balewalang
Hadlang

Lumaya, lumaya
Ibuka na'ng mga pakpak
Lumaya, lumaya
Luha'y 'di na papatak
Heto na'ng katayuan ko
Ihip lang, bagyo

Kapangyarihan ko'y kusang umaagos
Lamig na bumabalot sa lahat, tumatagos
Paniniwalang namuo sa isipan
Paalam sa lahat, maging nakaraan

Lumaya, lumaya
Salubungin ang ginaw
Lumaya, lumaya
Sisikat na'ng araw
'Di na kailangang magpanggap
Sa kaninuman
Ito ang bago kong hinaharap



To be honest, I feel guilty for mudering the language with a truckload of apostrophes. The third section/stanza/whatever was also a pain in the ass because the Philippines is a freakin' tropical country. Naturally, the language that developed is limited when it comes to describing ice and related phenomena.

"lumaya" and "malaya" throw off the song's rhythm in the chorus. A number of 3-syllable combinations could be thrown in as a substitute ("sige lang", "bitiw na", etc.), but I can't think of something that could be similar to the original "let it go" in terms of rhythm, weight, and meaning.

The second most recognizable line ("The cold never bothered me anyway") was dropped because I find the direct translation ("Di perwisyo/abala ang lamig sa akin") difficult to rhyme and reuse, and the last word isn't strong enough.


Anyway, this is version 1.0 for now. If there are better ways of phrasing the song, please let me know about it.


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