"Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης"

Thread: "Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης"

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  1. islandharper said:

    Question "Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης"

    Hi, can someone please help me with this song by Loudovikos ton Anogion?
    I have looked in the archive, but did not see it.
    I have done a literal translation but with many questions. I put (?) where I'm not sure about an idiom or can't find the English word for a Greek one. And, of course, please suggest something else if my words aren't right!
    thanks! sofya


    Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης
    what color is love?

    ποιος θα μου το βρει
    who will find it for me?

    Να 'ναι κόκκινο σαν ήλιος
    if it's red, like the sun,

    θα καίει σαν φωτιά
    it will burn like fire.

    Κίτρινο σαν το φεγγάρι
    if it's yellow like the moon,

    θα 'χει μοναξιά
    it will be lonely.

    Να 'χει τ' ουρανού το χρώμα
    if it is the sky's color,

    θα 'ναι μακρινή
    it will be far away (?)

    Να 'ναι μαύρο σαν τη νύχτα
    if it is black as night,

    θα 'ναι πονηρή
    it will be sly.

    Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης
    what is the color of love?

    ποιος θα μου το βρει
    who will find it for me?

    Να 'ναι άσπρο συννεφάκι
    if it is little white cloud,

    φεύγει και περνά
    it leaves and passes by.

    Να 'ναι άσπρo γιασεμάκιο
    if it is a white ( ? ) ,

    στον ανθό χαλά
    it spoils in the flower (or blossom?)

    Να 'ναι το ουράνιο τόξο
    if the sky is a bow (?),

    που δεν πιάνεται
    that can't be held

    Όλο φαίνεται πως φτάνω
    everything looks within my reach (?)

    κι όλο χάνεται
    and everything is becoming lost (?)

    Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης
    what is the color of love?
    ποιος θα μου το βρει
    who will find it for me?
    Last edited by islandharper; 04-14-2008 at 06:43 AM. Reason: looks confusing!
     
  2. electron said:

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    Να 'χει τ' ουρανού το χρώμα if it is the sky's color,
    θα 'ναι μακρινή it will be far away (?)(it (love) will be far away, either love as a noun, or the girl)
    Να 'ναι μαύρο σαν τη νύχτα if it is black as night,
    θα 'ναι πονηρή it will be sly.

    Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης what is the color of love?
    ποιος θα μου το βρει who will find it for me?

    Να 'ναι άσπρο συννεφάκι if it is little white cloud,
    φεύγει και περνά it leaves and passes.
    Να 'ναι άσπρo γιασεμάκιο if it is a white ( ? ) (if love is a white jasmin flower)
    στον ανθό χαλά it spoils in the flower (or blossom?)(poetic licence, meaning it won't hold, cause the life of a flower is short)

    Να 'ναι το ουράνιο τόξο if the sky is a bow (?)
    που δεν πιάνεται that can't be held
    Όλο φαίνεται πως φτάνω everything looks within my reach (?) (it seems to me, i am getting close in discovering love)
    κι όλο χάνεται and everything is becoming lost (?)(and i keep missing it)

    Ποιο το χρώμα της αγάπης what is the color of love?
    ποιος θα μου το βρει who will find it for me?

    The general meaning is that the poet looks for the color of love, but actually looks for love. Meaning that there is a differsnce in the person he is using in the song. While he is asking what is the color of love (which in greek, to xrwma is neutral,) so the answer should have been in the neutral, he is answering in the third person and the answer is of female gengre, as an adjective to love(which in greek is a feminine noun)
    hope i helped!
     
  3. islandharper said:

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    thank you so much for helping me. and so quickly too!
     
  4. Zvezda's Avatar

    Zvezda said:

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    Just something I noticed skimming through:

    Να 'ναι = to be

    for example: Να 'ναι κόκκινο σαν ήλιος = to be red, like the sun,
    Bio je Novembar 2009 godine, zamišljao sam kako hodaš ulicom Bana Jelačića cipelama od zmijske kože..
     
  5. islandharper said:

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    so , : "Na 'vai" = "to be"

    Can you tell me what " 'vai " is a contraction of?
     
  6. Zvezda's Avatar

    Zvezda said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by islandharper View Post

    Can you tell me what " 'vai " is a contraction of?
    of the verb είναι = (to) be
    Bio je Novembar 2009 godine, zamišljao sam kako hodaš ulicom Bana Jelačića cipelama od zmijske kože..
     
  7. joanna_giselle said:

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    Funnily enough I have often thought of translating this song as I love the lyrics so much.
    I really like the translation suggested above but wanted to add:

    ouranio toxo = rainbow

    thus

    If it is a rainbow