Tough

This is a translation of the song by Mayday , 《顽固》. A song that has been my anthem for the past few years.

English translation

I’m present in, what you in the past
Fantasised about, the future
Where burning enthusiasm and impulsiveness
Has long cooled off now
Your stubborn expression
Has vanished from your reflection in the mirror
Leaving only traces left behind by the passage of time

The belief in every heart
The fortune of every person
The self in every story
Repeatedly asking yourself
All these years of compromising
Does it make you sigh?
Is there anything that you can never give up?

Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you who lives deep your heart

You pursue, you breathe
Your arrogant wilfulness
Cried with a bloodied nose and swollen face
Then forget it as though nothing happened
Even if you could foresee
The pitfalls along this road
I believe you would still make mistakes to your heart’s content

Where you have been are your footprints
Where you can’t reach are your longings
You learnt to rein in your rebellious streak
You learn to hide your emotions
Remove your mask
I want to say, thank you
Thank you for keeping me company all the way

Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you who lives deep your heart

Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you

Who believed back then, those things
That today become a beautiful sight
Whenever I hesitate, I never forget
The stubborn me who lives deep in my heart

-End-

I translated 顽固 as “stubborn” instead of “tough”. I believe the official translation of the song title is Tough because Mayday’s earlier song 倔强 was already officially translated as Stubborn. Both song titles mean the same thing, but 顽固 Tough is more of a self-reflection, whereas 倔强 Stubborn is self-affirmation.

This song is a little tricky to translate because of Ashin’s many wordplays and antithesis.

Enjoy the song and music video. Unfortunately, I can’t find my favourite Life Live version from their concert movie. But there’s a live version with a cameo by Tony Leung Ka-fai.

Music video:

Live video:

Original lyrics in Chinese

我身在 当时你
幻想的 未来里
这个狂热和冲动
早已冷却的如今
你顽固 的神情
消失在 镜子里
只留下 时光消逝的痕迹

每颗心 的相信
每个人 的际遇
每个故事的自己
反覆地问着自己
这些年 让步的
你是否 会叹息
有什么 是你永远不放弃

一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固自己

你追逐 你呼吸
你嚣张 的任性
鼻青脸肿的哭过
若无其事的忘记
如果你 能预知
这条路 的陷阱
我想你 依然错得很过瘾

走过的 叫足迹
走不到 叫憧憬
学会收拾起叛逆
学会隐藏了表情
卸下了 这面具
我想说 谢谢你
谢谢你 一路陪我到这里

一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固的自己

一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固的

你当时相信
的那些事情
会在如今
变成美丽风景
每当我迟疑
从不曾忘记
活在我心深处
那顽固的自己