<p>I've translated the lyric from Taiwanese to Mandarin for ease of understanding. PLease do not hesitate to point out my mistakes.</p>
<p>人生行到遮 | 人生走到這裡</p>
<p>地位亲像山 | 地位像山高</p>
<p>才知神仙   | 才知神仙 也孤单</p>
<p>也孤单 |</p>
<p>性命越头看 | 回頭看一生</p>
<p>风云起变化 | 风云起变化</p>
<p>晌知雨水   | 誰知道雨水中 參雜着血和汗</p>
<p>参血汗     |</p>
<p>时也 运也  | 时也 运也</p>
<p>总靠双手   | 总靠自己双手打拚</p>
<p>家己拚     |</p>
<p>他乡路揣无故乡名 | 他乡路找不到故乡名</p>
<p>孤单行          | 孤单行</p>
<p>为着一顿白米换   | 为着一顿白米?</p>
<p>肩头双爿担       | 肩头挑着双爿担</p>
<p>旧时路伴阮1今日行 | 旧时路伴我今日行</p>
<p>笑过去           | 笑过去</p>
<p>伤心揣无所在寄    | 找不到地方寄放那受伤的心</p>
<p>一生风雨          | 一生歷經风雨</p>
<p>啥物才拭会焦      | 什麽才能擦乾 这滴男人的汗水</p>
<p>这滴 查埔人的汗 |</p>
<ol>
<li><p>人生走到這裡 地位像山高 才知神仙也孤单 - Lived up to this juncture, I have attained a mountain high social status, only now I realize that even the god will feel lonely too. (Note: The higher the status the fewer the true friends.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>回頭看一生 风云起变化 = 变化多端 - Looking back on my life, my position/status has changed numerous times. (Note: The subtropic weather changes so frequently and so fast. The storm usually is led by fast-moving wind and clouds. 风云 - situation; social-political status/position.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Please modify your questions after reviewing my interpretation/translation.</p>
</li>
<li><p>一生歷經风雨 什麽才能擦乾这滴男人的汗水 - My life has been filled with difficulties and hardships. What does it take to end the struggle (so no more sweat)?</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T10:03:57.343Z
– Regarding 2, I was basically missing the fact that 起 can be a "classifier for batches or groups", as Wiktionary puts it. Or should I be looking at "classifier for incidents: cases"? Should the khí perhaps be a 几 kí?
– Regarding 3, "rainwater is mixed with blood and sweat" basically means that the driver for the changes in his life (rainstorms = changes) was his struggle (blood and sweat), that the two are inextricably tied. So now everything is tied together except the "Time! Fortune!" bit.
– The part about carrying weights, should I see it as in the past? With a mountain-high [continues]
MickG
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T10:04:35.273Z
… social status, he shouldn't need to work so hard for a meal, don't you think?
MickG
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T16:14:36.533Z
IMO, 起 means "to raise", "stir up" or "lead to".
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T16:29:30.310Z
"rainwater mixed with blood and sweat" depicts that one time he was a **lower-class hard laborer** who struggled to make a living, and had to rely on his own hands to move up (总靠自己双手打拚).

家己拚
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T21:48:20.750Z
If 起 means "stir up" or "lead to", where does the "many times" come from?
MickG
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T22:58:26.113Z
The ever-changing winds and clouds have "stirred up" or "led to" the (up-down) changes in his life. 风云 means on and off dynamic events. I could be wrong though, suggest talking to a Taiwanese-speaking person to get a better feel.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-12T02:01:38.530Z
2023-05-12T02:01:38.530Z
r13
<p>The song is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BZ5GuIwhk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">男人的汗</a>, which I added to <a href="https://lyricstranslate.com/en/daniel-lo-l%C3%A2m-l%C3%AEn-%C3%AA-ku%C4%81nn-lyrics.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Lyricstranslate</a> some time ago. The lyrics:</p>
<p>人生行到遮 | Lîn-sing kiânn kàu tsia<br>
地位亲像山 | Tē-uī tshin-tshiūnn suann<br>
才知神仙 | Tsiah tsai sîn-sian<br>
也孤单 | Iā koo-tuann<br>
性命越头看 | Sìnn-miā ua̍t-thâu khuànn<br>
风云起变化 | Hong-hûn khí piàn-huà<br>
晌知雨水 | Siâng tsai hōo-tsuí<br>
参血汗 | Tsham hueh kuānn<br>
时也 运也 | Sî iā ūn iā<br>
总靠双手 | Tsóng khò siang tshiú<br>
家己拚 | Ka-kī piànn<br>
<br>
他乡路揣无故乡名 | Thann-hiong lōo tshē bô kòo-hiong miâ<br>
孤单行 | Koo-tuann kiânn<br>
为着一顿白米换 | Uī-tio̍h tsi̍t tǹg pe̍h-bí uānn<br>
肩头双爿担 | King-thâu siang-pîng tann<br>
旧时路伴阮1今日行 | Kū-sî lōo phuānn gún kin-li̍t kiânn<br>
笑过去 | Tshiò kuè-khì<br>
伤心揣无所在寄 | Siong-sim tshuē bô sóo-tsāi kià<br>
一生风雨 | It-sing hong-ú<br>
啥物才拭会焦 | Siánn-mih tsiah tshit ē ta<br>
这滴 查埔人的汗 | Tsit tih tsa-poo-lâng--ê kuānn<br></p>
<p>My attempt:</p>
<p>In life, [I've] come here,<br>
A place like a mountain,<br>
And only now I know that even celestials<br>
[Can] be lonely<br>
Looking back at [my] life<br>
[There are] stormy times and changes<br>
Who knows rainwater<br>
Is mixed with blood and sweat?<br>
Time! Fortune!<br>
Always with [my] two hands<br>
I myself have fought<br>
<br>
On foreign roads I find no-one from my land<br>
I walk alone<br>
For a bowl of rice, [I] end up<br>
Carrying weights with both shoulders<br>
Once the road would accompany me, today<br>
It laughs at my past<br>
Sad, [I] can't find a place to stay<br>
In lifelong storms<br>
What can dry up<br>
This man sweat?</p>
<p>Any comments? In particular:</p>
<ol>
<li>Who are these &quot;celestials&quot; he's mentioning, and why is he mentioning them? Is he saying that he's &quot;made it to the top&quot; and now he's not happy because he's on his own? But then why does he say he has to work his buttocks off to eat? Or is that part of the second section meant to be in the past?</li>
<li>I am not at all sure about my translation «[There are] stormy times and changes» for 风云起变化;</li>
<li>What ties this first song together? We're going from &quot;life steep as a mountain&quot; to the solitude of the &quot;celestials&quot; to «rainwater / […] mixed with blood and sweat?», then «Time! Fortune!», which is just… there, and finally something that ties into the steep life: «Always with [my] two hands / I myself have fought»?</li>
<li>«Who can dry this sweat?» means «Who can stop my toil?», whether physical or psychological, right?</li>
</ol>
<p>Note: spelling siāng &quot;who&quot; the way I did is my invention, the <a href="https://twblg.dict.edu.tw/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Taiwan dictionary of common-use Min Nan words</a> would have me spell it 啥人 like its uncontracted form siánn-lâng. Apart from that, is the spelling and romanization correct as per MoE recommendations?</p>

<translation><hokkien><songs>
Help translating Min nan song 男人的汗
# Help translating Min nan song 男人的汗

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-05-11)

The song is [男人的汗](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9BZ5GuIwhk), which I added to [Lyricstranslate](https://lyricstranslate.com/en/daniel-lo-l%C3%A2m-l%C3%AEn-%C3%AA-ku%C4%81nn-lyrics.html) some time ago. The lyrics:

人生行到遮 | Lîn-sing kiânn kàu tsia  
地位亲像山 | Tē-uī tshin-tshiūnn suann  
才知神仙 | Tsiah tsai sîn-sian  
也孤单 | Iā koo-tuann  
性命越头看 | Sìnn-miā ua̍t-thâu khuànn  
风云起变化 | Hong-hûn khí piàn-huà  
晌知雨水 | Siâng tsai hōo-tsuí  
参血汗 | Tsham hueh kuānn  
时也 运也 | Sî iā ūn iā  
总靠双手 | Tsóng khò siang tshiú  
家己拚 | Ka-kī piànn  
  
他乡路揣无故乡名 | Thann-hiong lōo tshē bô kòo-hiong miâ  
孤单行 | Koo-tuann kiânn  
为着一顿白米换 | Uī-tio̍h tsi̍t tǹg pe̍h-bí uānn  
肩头双爿担 | King-thâu siang-pîng tann  
旧时路伴阮1今日行 | Kū-sî lōo phuānn gún kin-li̍t kiânn  
笑过去 | Tshiò kuè-khì  
伤心揣无所在寄 | Siong-sim tshuē bô sóo-tsāi kià  
一生风雨 | It-sing hong-ú  
啥物才拭会焦 | Siánn-mih tsiah tshit ē ta  
这滴 查埔人的汗 | Tsit tih tsa-poo-lâng--ê kuānn

My attempt:

In life, [I've] come here,  
A place like a mountain,  
And only now I know that even celestials  
[Can] be lonely  
Looking back at [my] life  
[There are] stormy times and changes  
Who knows rainwater  
Is mixed with blood and sweat?  
Time! Fortune!  
Always with [my] two hands  
I myself have fought  
  
On foreign roads I find no-one from my land  
I walk alone  
For a bowl of rice, [I] end up  
Carrying weights with both shoulders  
Once the road would accompany me, today  
It laughs at my past  
Sad, [I] can't find a place to stay  
In lifelong storms  
What can dry up  
This man sweat?

Any comments? In particular:

1. Who are these "celestials" he's mentioning, and why is he mentioning them? Is he saying that he's "made it to the top" and now he's not happy because he's on his own? But then why does he say he has to work his buttocks off to eat? Or is that part of the second section meant to be in the past?
2. I am not at all sure about my translation «[There are] stormy times and changes» for 风云起变化;
3. What ties this first song together? We're going from "life steep as a mountain" to the solitude of the "celestials" to «rainwater / […] mixed with blood and sweat?», then «Time! Fortune!», which is just… there, and finally something that ties into the steep life: «Always with [my] two hands / I myself have fought»?
4. «Who can dry this sweat?» means «Who can stop my toil?», whether physical or psychological, right?

Note: spelling siāng "who" the way I did is my invention, the [Taiwan dictionary of common-use Min Nan words](https://twblg.dict.edu.tw/) would have me spell it 啥人 like its uncontracted form siánn-lâng. Apart from that, is the spelling and romanization correct as per MoE recommendations?

**Tags:** translation, hokkien, songs


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-05-12. Score: 0

I've translated the lyric from Taiwanese to Mandarin for ease of understanding. PLease do not hesitate to point out my mistakes.

人生行到遮 | 人生走到這裡

地位亲像山 | 地位像山高

才知神仙 | 才知神仙 也孤单

也孤单 |

性命越头看 | 回頭看一生

风云起变化 | 风云起变化

晌知雨水 | 誰知道雨水中 參雜着血和汗

参血汗 |

时也 运也 | 时也 运也

总靠双手 | 总靠自己双手打拚

家己拚 |

他乡路揣无故乡名 | 他乡路找不到故乡名

孤单行 | 孤单行

为着一顿白米换 | 为着一顿白米?

肩头双爿担 | 肩头挑着双爿担

旧时路伴阮1今日行 | 旧时路伴我今日行

笑过去 | 笑过去

伤心揣无所在寄 | 找不到地方寄放那受伤的心

一生风雨 | 一生歷經风雨

啥物才拭会焦 | 什麽才能擦乾 这滴男人的汗水

这滴 查埔人的汗 |

1. 人生走到這裡 地位像山高 才知神仙也孤单 - Lived up to this juncture, I have attained a mountain high social status, only now I realize that even the god will feel lonely too. (Note: The higher the status the fewer the true friends.)
2. 回頭看一生 风云起变化 = 变化多端 - Looking back on my life, my position/status has changed numerous times. (Note: The subtropic weather changes so frequently and so fast. The storm usually is led by fast-moving wind and clouds. 风云 - situation; social-political status/position.)
3. Please modify your questions after reviewing my interpretation/translation.
4. 一生歷經风雨 什麽才能擦乾这滴男人的汗水 - My life has been filled with difficulties and hardships. What does it take to end the struggle (so no more sweat)?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: – Regarding 2, I was basically missing the fact that 起 can be a "classifier for batches or groups", as Wiktionary puts it. Or should I be looking at "classifier for incidents: cases"? Should the khí perhaps be a 几 kí? – Regarding 3, "rainwater is mixed with blood and sweat" basically means that the driver for the changes in his life (rainstorms = changes) was his struggle (blood and sweat), that the two are inextricably tied. So now everything is tied together except the "Time! Fortune!" bit. – The part about carrying weights, should I see it as in the past? With a mountain-high [continues]  
> **username_0**: … social status, he shouldn't need to work so hard for a meal, don't you think?  
> **username_1**: IMO, 起 means "to raise", "stir up" or "lead to".  
> **username_1**: "rainwater mixed with blood and sweat" depicts that one time he was a **lower-class hard laborer** who struggled to make a living, and had to rely on his own hands to move up (总靠自己双手打拚).  家己拚  
> **username_0**: If 起 means "stir up" or "lead to", where does the "many times" come from?  
> **username_1**: The ever-changing winds and clouds have "stirred up" or "led to" the (up-down) changes in his life. 风云 means on and off dynamic events. I could be wrong though, suggest talking to a Taiwanese-speaking person to get a better feel.  

---

