[bobd]

Hey guys. I'm working o my Chess Pa Svenska DVD English subtitles. The most challenging song to translate will be Svetlana's new song in Act II, "HAN ÄR EN MAN, HAN ÄR ETT BARN" (He is a man, he is a child). The song never existed in English, and the existing literal translation is very rough.

Can anyone explain what exactly she means when she says "He is a man, he is a child?" It seems like she's saying that Anatoly is both a man, but also still a bit immature, but no other lyrics seem to connect with that idea. Here is the literal translation:

[High-baritonne]

This is my own translation:

He is a man, he is a child!
And I have got a child with him!
And now I’m out here in the wild
There’s nothing left to do
Is he a man, is he a child?
No matter what
The man I used to know is gone!

I lost the true meaning of life!
But then he took me in my hand!
He wanted me to be his wife!
Of course I said I do!
It was a sign from the heaven
And now I’m here
I’m lost in this cave
I could just die!

He is a man, he is a child
But who am I?

A babushka
Is that all he can see?
One who allways is there, but he hardly can notice
A babushka
No more “Honey I’m home”
Only woman in kitchen, with heart beats that dies fast
Violent fury of rejected person
He versus my heart
Hate to be hated!

Heaven help me!
My heart is dying now!
Though he thinks I am cute, I just wan’t to defeat him!
Beat my heart, beat!
But he’ll never know what
I am thinking and wanting, I'll allways be hunting
Violent fury of rejected person
He versus my heart
Hate to be hated!

He is a man, he is a child is a metaphor, I think they want to show how a grown up man is playing games like a little child. In Svetlana's eyes, chess is just a childish game, not a job.