칼춤에 꽃놀이 도화전에
노랫가락 시리게 흥겨운데
오백 년 공들여 애써 온
대업 모두 허사로다
아비는 칼 맞아 스러지고
자식들은 세금에 찢겨 죽고
잿가루 날리는 만월대에
통곡 소리 구슬퍼라
무이이야
무이이야
세상에 묻노니 생사를 가름에
정치와 칼이 다를 게 무어냐
천중의 이름 없는 새야
왜 그리도 구슬프게 우느냐
어차피 들꽃이 진 자리는
찾을 수 없지 않느냐
천중의 이름 없는 새야
왜 그리도 구슬프게 우느냐
어차피 들꽃이 진 자리는
찾을 수 없지 않느냐
kalchume kkotnori dohwajeone
noraetgarak sirige heunggyeo.unde
obaek nyeon gongdeuryeo aesseo on dae.eob modu heosaroda
abineun kal maja seureojigo jasikdeureun
segeume jjitgyeo jukgo
jaetgaru nallineun manwoldae.e
tonggok sori guseulpeora
mui.iya
mui.iya
sesange mudnoni saengsareul gareume
jeongchiwa kari dareul ge mu.eonya
cheonjungui ireum eopneun saeya
wae keurido guseulpeuge uneunya
eochapi deulkkochi jin jarineun chajeul su eopji anhneunya
mui.iya
mui.iya
sesange mudnoni saengsareul gareume
jeongchiwa kari dareul ge mu.eonya
cheonjungui ireum eopneun saeya
wae keurido guseulpeuge uneunya
eochapi deulkkochi jin jarineun chajeul su eopji anhneunya
cheonjungui ireum eopneun saeya
wae keurido guseulpeuge uneunya
eochapi deulkkochi jin jarineun
chajeul su eopji anhneunya
chajeul su eopji anhneunya
Sword dance and flower-viewing,
the melody of Dohwajeon¹ is shivery cheerful
All the great works for the past 500 years² went for nothing
Fathers get stabbed to death by sword,
children get torn to death under taxes
The wail of pain is echoing through Manwoldae³
in the flying ashes (of cremated bodies)
Mu-Yi-Yi-Ya (Is there any difference)? Mu-Yi-Yi-Ya?
I’m asking the world, on deciding life and death
Is there any difference between politics and swords?
You, the nameless bird in the sky,
why are you wailing so sadly?
You can’t find where wildflowers have fallen anyway
Mu-Yi-Yi-Ya (Is there any difference)? Mu-Yi-Yi-Ya?
I’m asking the world, on deciding life and death
Is there any difference between politics and swords?
You, the nameless bird in the sky,
why are you wailing so sadly?
You can’t find where wildflowers have fallen anyway
You, the nameless bird in the sky,
why are you wailing so sadly?
You can’t find where wildflowers have fallen anyway
You can’t find it anyway
Translator’s Notes:¹ Dohwajeon, 도화전 : The name of Yi In-Gyem’s luxurious mansion
² This drama takes place 500 years after Goryeo’s founding
³ Manwoldae 만월대 滿月臺 : The palace of Goryeo dynasty
*According to the official SBS homepage, the song’s title “Mu-Yi-Yi-Ya” came from Mencius. (The Work of Mencius Book 1, Part 1)