Gibonni – Libar

Silke on Fri, 26th Nov 2010 12:36 pm 



Before I had the translation, I loved the song!!!!!
with the words, I don’t understand: “she should write him in the book of her debts, he is scared that it will sink her love for him but he’s got no reason to fear”??? Is her book so heavy? Why is it not on his debts if he’s not being true.
Well, probably it means that he can tell her whatever he wants: he can still be sure of her love,meaning:we girls are ready (stupid?) to believe anything, no?
and I have to ask myself what made me happy about the song.
Because I’m just an innocent woman who only sees the light in a every human being and in men……and wonders always in the end how fast one can fall.
I won’t give up looking for truth always + for RISING IN LOVE together, Silke

Nera on Thu, 7th Jul 2011 12:43 pm 



“the book of your debts” is not an expression used in English language. Debtors journal or Debtors list would be better. In order to keep the word “book” in the lyrics, “book of your debtors” instead “book of your debts” would perhaps be a better option.

I suggest replacing “I am buying you” with “I have been buying you”. “I am buying” (Present Progressive) implies the action is taking place in the present only, while “I have been buying” (Present Perfect Progressive) suggests that the action started in the past and hasn’t finished yet, and puts the emphasis on the duration of the action (he has been buying her love for a long time).

“like a bee in a cup of tea, while it holds its breath”
I would replace “while holds its breath” with “holding its breath”. The meaning is the same, but the later option is truer to the English language.

Saying all that, I understand this is a difficult translation, due to colloquialisms and dialect. So congrats on a job very well done!

Spring on Fri, 8th Jul 2011 7:44 pm 



Thank you so much Nera!

I’ve translated the song four years ago (and especially struggled with the drowning bee) and would do it differently now too.. So, some changes made according to your suggestions!

Though.. I wouldn’t translate “libar tvojih dugova” as “book of your debtors” because “debtor is an entity that owes a debt to someone else” and I understood that it’s a book of her debts (she owes to him not the other way around so that he would be on the list of her debtors).. but maybe I’m wrong?

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