[okalyddude]

Hi, I am compiling translations of the song Imagine by John Lennon into many languages, for a tattoo. I will have two lines per language, probably alternating Western and otherwise. I will choose the lines for each language based on how the look / sound, how appropriate they are to the language, and how concise they are.

Languages I have: Korean, Japanese, Spanish, French, Italian, Urdu (but not written in script)
Languages I hope for: Latin, Gaelic, Mandarin, Arabic, Turkish, German, Russian, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Hebrew, any other languages you think would be nice!

I will probably avoid multiple languages that are very similar in sound and style, such as Italian and Spanish. I admit that I do not know what middle eastern / eastern languages are similar in style and sound.

If you can check the ones I have, that'd be great to!


Here is the English

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one


Japanese

天国なんてないと想像してみましょう
そうは難しくないことです
その下に地獄なんてないことも
上を向けば広がる空だけ... Read More
想像してみましょう、人間はみな
今日を生きている...

国々なんてないと想像してみましょう
そうは難しくないことです
人を殺め、自分を犠牲にする理由も
宗教もないことを
想像してみましょう、人間がみな
平和に生きている...

私は夢を見ていると思うでしょう
だが一人ではない
いつかあなたが我々と一緒になり
世界がひとつになるでしょう

所有物なんてないと想像してみましょう
できるかな
欲望も飢えることもない
人類の兄弟愛

そうは難しくないことです
その下に地獄なんてないことも
上を向けば広がる空だけ
想像してみましょう、人間はみな
世界を分かち合ってる...

私は夢を見ていると思うでしょう
だが一人ではない
いつかあなたが我々と一緒になり
世界がひとつになるでしょう


French -
... Read More
Imaginez qu'il n'y a pas de Paradis,
C'est facile si vous essayez,
Pas d'enfer en dessous de nous,
Au dessus de nous seulement le ciel,
Imaginez tous les gens
Vivant l'instant présent...

Imaginez qu'il n'y a pas de pays,
Ce n'est pas dur a faire
Rien pour tuer ni mourrir
Aucune religion non plus,
Imaginez tous les gens,
Vivant leurs vies dans la paix...

Vous pouvez dire que je suis un rêveur,
Mais je ne suis pas le seul,
J'espère qu'un jour vous nous rejoindrez,
Et que le monde vivra uni

Imaginez aucune possession,
Je me demande si vous le pouvez,
Aucun besoin d'avidité ou de faim,
Une fraternité humaine,
Imaginez tous les gens,
Partageant le monde...

Vous pouvez dire que je suis un rêveur,
Mais je ne suis pas le seul,
J'espère qu'un jour vous nous rejoindrez,
Et que le monde vivra uni


Urdu *(If anyone can write this in the script, that would be awesome)
Soccho ke nahi koi Jannat
Koshish karo to aasaan baat he
Hamare niiche naahi koi dozagh... Read More
Sar ke upar he siraf aasmaan
Soccho ke har koi
Aaj ke liye jii raha ho

Soccho ke nahi koi Mulk
Koi mushkil baat nahi
Nahi kisi ke liye marne nahi katl karne ki zarurat
Diin bhi na ho
Soccho ki har koi
Aman ke saat zindagi guzaare

Mujhe kaho ge ke mein hun Khwaabi
Leikin nahin hun mein akela
Meeri khwaessh he ke eek din
Aap hamare saat milke dunya ko eek banaen

Socchi ke nahi he kisi ke paas koi maal
Kya aese sooch sakennge
Nahi ho laalach aur na ho bhuukh
Loogoon ka bhai-chaara
Soccho ke har koi
Dunya ko taksiim karen

Mujhe kaho ge ke mein hun Khwaabi
Leikin nahin hun mein akela
Meeri khwaessh he ke eek din
Aap hamare saat milke dunya ko eek banaen


Italian:

Immagina che non esista il paradiso
E facile se provi
Nessun inferno sotto di noi... Read More
Sopra di noi solo il cielo
Immagina tutta la gente
vivere per il presente

Immagina che non esistano frontiere
Non e dificile da fare
Nessuno per cui uccidere o morire
E nessuna religione
Immagina tutta la gente
vivere una vita in pace

Puoi darmi del sognatore
Ma non sono il solo
Spero che un giorno
Tu ti unirai a noi e il mondo sara unito

Immagina che non ci siano ricchezze
Io mi dico se tu ci riuscissirei
Ne avidita ne cupidigia
Una fratellanza di uomini
Immagina che tutta la gente
Si divida tutto il mondo

Puoi darmi del sognatore
Ma non sono il solo
Spero che un giorno
Tu ti unirai a noi e il mondo sara unito


Korean:
Imagine there's no heaven
천국이 없다고 상상해봐.
It's easy if you try
해본다면 그건 쉬운일이야.
No hell below us... Read more... Read more... Read More
우리 아래 지옥은 없어... Read more
Above us only sky
오직 하늘 만이 우리 위에 있을 뿐.
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
오늘을 위해 사는 모든사람들을 상상해봐.

Imagine there's no countries
나라들이 없다고 상상해봐
It isn't hard to do
그건 어려운 일이 아니야.
Nothing to kill or die for
죽일것도 죽어야 할 것도 없어.
And no religion too
종교 또한 없어.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
평화속에 사는 모든 사람들을 상상해봐.

You may say I'm a dreamer
너는 아마 내가 꿈속에 산다고 말할지도 몰라.
But I'm not the only one
하지만 나뿐만이 아니야.
I hope someday you'll join us
언젠가 너도 나와 함께하길 바래.
And the world will be as one
세상은 하나가 될거야.

Imagine no possessions
재산이 없다고 생각해봐.
I wonder if you can
할 수 있을까?
No need for greed or hunger
욕심낼 것도 배고픈 것도 없어.
A brotherhood of man
형제들..
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
모든사람들이 함께 공유하는 이 세상을 상상해봐.

You may say I'm a dreamer
너는 아마 내가 꿈속에 산다고 말할 지도 몰라.
But I'm not the only one
하지만 나뿐만이 아니야.
I hope someday you'll join us
언젠가 너도 함께 하길 바래.
And the world will live as one
이 세상은 하나가 되는거야.



Spanish

Imagínate que no hay paraiso
Es facil si trata de hacerlo
No hay infierno a bajo
Arriba, solo el cielo
Imagínate a toda la gente
El vivir para hoy…

Imagínate que no hay países
No es difícil para hacer
No haynada cosa para que mates nimueves
Y ni siguiera hay religión
Imaginate toda la gente
Viviendo enpaz

Puedes decir que soy soñador
Pero no soy el unico
Espero que tu nos juntes
Y todo el mundo será como uno

Imagínate que no hay posesiones
Me pregunto si puedes
No se necesida para avarícia ni hambre
Un hermandad degente
Trasmitando todo el mundo

Puedes decir que soy sonador
Pero no soy el unico
Espero que tu nos juntes
Y todo el mundo sera como uno



Thanks in advance!

[ROLCAM]

Here is the English :-

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Here is the Maltese:- FIRST PARAGRAPH ONLY!

Imagina li memx genna
Facili jekk tipprova
Tahtna memx infern
Fuqna sema biss
Imagina in-nies kollha
Jejxu ghal-lum biss

Maltese is a very old language derived originnaly from Sansrit and Arabic, but in Roman letters.

[okalyddude]

I found a Russian translation someone said was "not bad" - wish they were a little more specific.. Maybe someone can critique it?

Представьте

Представьте, что нет рая,
Это легко, если попытаться,
Никакого ада под землей -
Только небо над нашими головами.
Представьте, что все люди
Живут сегодняшним днем.

Представьте, что нет стран,
Это не так уж сложно,
Никто не убивает и не умирает за что-то,
И религий тоже нет.
Представьте, что все люди
Живут в мире и согласии.

Вы можете сказать, что я мечтатель,
Но я не один такой
Надеюсь, что однажды вы присоединитесь к нам
И мир будет един.

Представьте, что нет собственности.
Я удивлюсь, если вы сможете это сделать.
Нет понятий «жадность» или «голод»,
Все люди – братья.
Представьте, что этот мир
Принадлежит нам всем.

Вы можете сказать, что я мечтатель,
Но я не один такой.
Надеюсь, что однажды вы присоединитесь к нам
И мир будет един.

[okalyddude]

Hey thanks for that little Maltese. Are you from malta?

[ROLCAM]

okalyddude,

The answer is YES!
However I left Malta in 1950.
My Maltese is a bit on the rusty side.
I now live in SYDNEY, Australia.

Roland Camilleri,
Age 79.

[caudex]

Here's the chorus at least in Latin. I will endeavouir to make it a bit more stylish, as well as doing the verses at some point.

Vocetis me somniatorem,
Said non solus sum.
Spero vos quondam nos coniugaturos
Ut mundus in pace sit.

Literally: You (plural - singular would be 'voces') may call me a dreamer,
But I'm not alone.
I hope you (plural - singular 'te' as opposed to 'vos', 'coniugaturum') will join us one day, so the world might be in peace.

This sort of covers the English, though it can be improved upon. Bear with me!

[shihouzhuge]

Here is the English

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Here is the Chinese, which is chanslated by myself...

想象这里没有天堂
这很简单如果你去尝试
在我们脚下的并非地狱
在我们头上的唯有天堂
想一想所有的人
至少为今天而活

[chloelang]

The spanish translation you have could be a little more poetic. It's translated very literally and what you have written in spanish doesn't really translate the same in english. You may want to look at that again if you're going to use it.