The Silence of My Beloved
Han Yong-woon (August 29, 1879 – June 29, 1944) was a twentieth century Korean Buddhist reformer and poet. In 1905 he received the robes of an order of monks at Baekdam Temple. In 1908, he went to Japan and visited several temples, where he studied Buddhism and Eastern philosophy. In 1919 he was one of the patriot signatories to the 1919 Declaration of Independence. His poetry dealt with both nationalism and human love. One of his more political collections was “The Silence of Beloved,” published in 1926. These works revolve around the ideas of equality and freedom, and helped inspire non-violent resistance in the Korean independence movement.
님의 침묵
한용운 (1879-1944)
님은 갔습니다.
아아 사랑하는 나의 님은 갔습니다.
푸른 산빛을 깨치고 단풍나무 숲을 향하여 난
적은 길을 걸어서 차마 떨치고 갔습니다.
황금의 꽃같이 굳고 빛나던 옛 맹세는
차디찬 띠끌이 되어서, 한숨의 미풍에 날아갔습니다.
날카로운 첫 키스의 추억은
나의 운명의 지침을 돌려놓고, 뒷걸음쳐서, 사라졌습니다.
나는 향기로운 님의 말소리에 귀먹고,
꽃다운 님의 얼굴에 눈멀었습니다.
사랑도 사람의 일이라, 만날 때에 미리 떠날 것을
염려하고 경계하지 아니한 것은 아니지만,
이별은 뜻밖의 일이 되고
놀란 가슴은 새로운 슬픔에 터집니다.
그러나 이별은 쓸데없는 눈물의 원천을 만들고 마는 것은
스스로 사랑을 깨치는 것인 줄 아는 까닭에,
걷잡을 수 없는 슬픔의 힘을 옮겨서
새 희망의 정수배기에 들어부었습니다.
우리는 만날 때에 떠날 것을 염려하는 것과 같이,
떠날 때에 다시 만날 것을 믿습니다.
아아, 님은 갔지마는 나는 님을 보내지 아니하였습니다.
제 곡조를 못 이기는 사랑의 노래는
님의 침묵을 휩싸고 돕니다.
The Silence of My Beloved
Han, Yong-woon
He has gone.
Ah, my beloved is gone.
Breaking the blue light of the mountain,
through the narrow lane leading to the maple woods, he’s gone.
Our oath which was bright like the golden flowers
turned to black chaff and was blown away by the breeze of sigh.
The sharp memory of our first kiss stepped backward and vanished
after it changed the direction of my destiny.
I was deafened by his fragrant voice and
blinded by his flowery face.
Love is also a human affair, therefore
I was worried and cautious against parting
when I first met him. But his departure came so suddenly
that my faint heart burst in new grief.
Yet if I shed tears,
it will mean the real end of our love,
I`d rather pour the power of unbearable grief
into the marrow of new hope.
As we care about parting when we meet first
So we believe in meeting again when we part.
Alas, he`s gone, but I haven`t sent him yet.
The melody of love song which cannot bear its own tune
is floating around the silence of the lover.