Likely botched translation of Nietzsche's quote
September 28, 2023 8:38 AM Subscribe
In the Korean series Wok of Love, a supposed Nietzsche's quote is often repeated: "I don't care how many times it is I want to relive this sickening life."
This is translated from the Korean, likely condensed for easy use in a light-hearted TV series, so it's a long telephone game. But that English translation sounds awkward, if not plain wrong.
I know it's a sort of summary of the Eternal Recurrence idea. I was wondering if there's an actual quote (translated to English, since I don't know German) by Nietzsche in a simple one sentence in any of his writings? And, if not, how would you express that idea better than that translation? Even if the Korean original is a bit messed up, there must be a better way to say that in English, even if it is a simplistic approximation.
(I don't have access to the original Korean, unfortunately.
This is translated from the Korean, likely condensed for easy use in a light-hearted TV series, so it's a long telephone game. But that English translation sounds awkward, if not plain wrong.
I know it's a sort of summary of the Eternal Recurrence idea. I was wondering if there's an actual quote (translated to English, since I don't know German) by Nietzsche in a simple one sentence in any of his writings? And, if not, how would you express that idea better than that translation? Even if the Korean original is a bit messed up, there must be a better way to say that in English, even if it is a simplistic approximation.
(I don't have access to the original Korean, unfortunately.
the Korean series Wok of Life
If anyone else was also confused, this question appears to be about 기름진 멜로, marketed as Wok of Love in English markets. Wok of Life is the English title for an old and unrelated Singaporean Mandarin drama.
posted by zamboni at 9:52 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
If anyone else was also confused, this question appears to be about 기름진 멜로, marketed as Wok of Love in English markets. Wok of Life is the English title for an old and unrelated Singaporean Mandarin drama.
posted by zamboni at 9:52 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: As far as I can see the quote in question is
몇 번이라도 좋다. 이 끔찍한 생이여 독알어 다시 한번!
(On this page towards the bottom the cast are staring at a calligraphy painting of the saying.)
It's from Also Sprach Zarathustra On the vision and the riddle and the usual English translation is "Was that life? Well then, once more!"
(Can't find the German for now, 끔찍한 doesn't appear in the English.)
posted by boudicca at 10:08 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
몇 번이라도 좋다. 이 끔찍한 생이여 독알어 다시 한번!
(On this page towards the bottom the cast are staring at a calligraphy painting of the saying.)
It's from Also Sprach Zarathustra On the vision and the riddle and the usual English translation is "Was that life? Well then, once more!"
(Can't find the German for now, 끔찍한 doesn't appear in the English.)
posted by boudicca at 10:08 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks, zamboni! Yeah, it's Wok of Love, maybe a mod can change that?
posted by plant or animal at 10:17 AM on September 28, 2023
posted by plant or animal at 10:17 AM on September 28, 2023
Response by poster: It at 11:20 in this video https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/2046478046?bstar_from=bstar-web.ugc-video-detail.related-recommend.all
I think you got it, boudica!
posted by plant or animal at 10:18 AM on September 28, 2023
I think you got it, boudica!
posted by plant or animal at 10:18 AM on September 28, 2023
Yes, that's what he's saying. The Viki translation team have gone with "Life is that which must overcome itself over and over" - in general Viki subs are a better bet.
(and now I will go and cry because I've just seen Cha In Ha...)
posted by boudicca at 10:34 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
(and now I will go and cry because I've just seen Cha In Ha...)
posted by boudicca at 10:34 AM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
(For completeness, I misquoted the quote. It should read 몇 번이라도 좋다. 이 끔찍한 생이여 다시 한번! I copy-pasted from my Naver search where I was looking for the German original and 독알어 (독일어 with typo) crept in.)
posted by boudicca at 3:20 PM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by boudicca at 3:20 PM on September 28, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The Thomas Common translation does have
Was that life? Well then, once more!The German original, from near the end of section 1 of Vom Gesicht und Räthsel is
War das das Leben? Wohlan! Noch Ein Mal!
Life is that which must overcome itself over and overI think is a paraphrase of a sentence from Self-Surpassing:
And this secret spake Life herself unto me. “Behold,” said she, “I am that WHICH MUST EVER SURPASS ITSELF.Von der Selbst-Überwindung:
Und diess Geheimniss redete das Leben selber zu mir. Siehe, sprach es, ich bin das, was sich immer selber überwinden muss.posted by zamboni at 5:02 AM on September 29, 2023 [2 favorites]
Thank you, Zamboni. I really wanted to know the German source as I couldn't reconcile the English with the Korean. Although the "sickening life" quote is at first glance a fairly literal translation of the Korean, the Korean mirrors the German closely not only in sense* but also in rhythm.
*끔찍하다 more often translated as terrible, horrible but here is communicating intensity a bit like awful in historic usage.
posted by boudicca at 7:33 AM on September 29, 2023
*끔찍하다 more often translated as terrible, horrible but here is communicating intensity a bit like awful in historic usage.
posted by boudicca at 7:33 AM on September 29, 2023
Response by poster: Thank you, all. I am impressed!
posted by plant or animal at 10:56 AM on September 29, 2023
posted by plant or animal at 10:56 AM on September 29, 2023
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P.S.
기름진 is defined as 1. fatty, greasy, oily 2. fertile, rich, (literary) fruitful
멜로 is just the Koreanization of "melodrama"
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:10 AM on September 28, 2023