Μ'ένα παράπονο

[Geske 37]

Μ' ΕΝΑ ΠΑΡΑΠΟΝΟ | WITH A MOAN

Μουσική: Δήμος Μούτσης | Music: Dimos Moutsis

Στίχοι: Νίκος Γκάτσος | Lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

Ήθελα κάτι να σου 'πώ | I wanted to tell you something

και στο τραπέζι σου θα 'ρθώ | and to come back to your table

μ' ένα παράπονο | with a moan

μ' ένα παράπονο πικρό | with a bitter moan

να σε καλησπερίσω. | to give you greetings.

Έχεις αφήσει μια ψυχή | You have abandoned a soul

στην παγωνιά και στη βροχή | in the cold and in the rain

μ' ένα παράπονο | with a moan

μ' ένα παράπονο πικρό | with a bitter moan

θα στο ξαναθυμίσω . | I will remind you once again

Αν είσαι άντρας με καρδιά | If you are a man with a heart

φέρ' την μαζί σου μια βραδιά | bring it with you one evening

μ' ένα χαμόγελο | with a smile

μ' ένα χαμόγελο ζεστό | with a warm smile

θα σε καλωσορίσω. | I will welcome you.

and a severely revised version made several years later:

Μ' ένα παράπονο_____||_____ Complaining

Μουσική: Δήμος Μούτσης_____||_____ Music: Dimos Moutsis

Στίχοι: Νίκος Γκάτσος_____||_____ Lyrics: Nikos Gatsos

Ήθελα κάτι να σου 'πώ_____||_____ I wanted to tell you something

και στο τραπέζι σου θα 'ρθώ_____||_____ and I will come to your table

μ' ένα παράπονο_____||_____ complaining

μ' ένα παράπονο πικρό_____||_____ complaining bitterly

να σε καλησπερίσω._____||_____ to greet you

Έχεις αφήσει μια ψυχή_____||_____ You have abandoned a soul

στην παγωνιά και στη βροχή_____||_____ in the cold and in the rain

μ' ένα παράπονο_____||_____ Complaining

μ' ένα παράπονο πικρό_____||_____ complaining bitterly

θα στο ξαναθυμίσω._____||_____ I will remind you of it once again

Αν είσαι άντρας με καρδιά_____||_____ If you are a man with a heart

φέρ' την μαζί σου μια βραδιά_____||_____ bring it with you one evening

μ' ένα χαμόγελο_____||_____ Smiling

μ' ένα χαμόγελο ζεστό_____||_____ smiling warmly

θα σε καλωσορίσω._____||_____ I will welcome you.

[Olga Fendrych 0]

Kalispera, Geske,

"tha se kalisperiso": to give you evening greetings; this "evening" seems to be important here;

and, what I understood finally: Fer'tin mazi sou mia vradia - it's an imperativ: if you are a man having a heart, bring it [the heart] one evening [to me].

What do you think?

[Apostolis 2,082]

I don't think the lyrics talk about his heart....

[francois 4]

Geeske, I'd rather translate the word "παράπονο" by the word "complaint" rather than by the word "moan"...

[Apostolis 2,082]

I agree with francois!!

[Geske 37]

Olga:

for Καλησπερόσω you can have "to say good evening to you"

for "φ'ερ' ...", I did translate that as an imperative, and I can't tell if you approve or not - please try to express yourself more clearly?

Francois, Apostoli,

Complaint was the other possibility. I chose "moan" it means both the sound of someone hurt (like a groan) and the words he/she uses to say so (like complaint). Also because "complaint" is a sort of specific and even formal thing, while "moan" is rather a general sort of pained feeling (or speech).

The trouble is, of course, that there is NO word in English (or any other language I know) for παράπονο. So I'll leave in "moan" for now, if you don't mind, and let everyone chose their own preference.

I have hesitated over "ήθελα" because I think it might also, perhaps, be correct to translate it as "I would like to" - but I haven't got to that chapter yet in my grammar so I'm not sure...

[Geske 37]

OK.

So, what with the difficulties of τα κατά Μάρκον, I was accusing mr. Γκάτσος of having written an easy song here... ΝΟΤ!

It turns out that you can read it two ways. The way I read it (the translation in the first post), it's a woman's song, a woman singing to the man who has abandonned her, telling him "you left a soul (me) out in the cold... if you have a heart, well, bring it with you (instead of behaving like a heartless devil)"

But Apostolis suggested another reading, as follows:

it's a man singing, telling another man: "you've left a soul (= some poor girl) out in the cold, if you have a heart (= a sweetheart) you should bring her inside (= to have a drink with us or whatever)"

Which would change the translation:

Αν είσαι άντρας με καρδιά | If you are a man with a heart

φέρ' την μαζί σου μια βραδιά | bring her with you one evening

It's maybe not the likeliest reading, but it's consistent.

And it'll teach us not to understimate that Cat

[francois 4]

"ήθελα": I would have liked to, rather than I would like to.

"παράπονο": let me insist on "complaint", as moan is expressed by many other words...

[Geske 37]

francois, "ήθελα" peut signifier un conditionnel, pas seulement un imparfait, est-ce que j'ai bien compris? (sorry guys but when the grammar gets tough it's easiest for me in French).

As for the other thing, you keep you complaint and I'll keep my moan, ok?

[Lynne Kleanthous 0]

I have to agree with Francois, Geeske, I didn't study it a lot as I don't have much time, but I would never have used the word ¨"moan" here. It does not sound correct with the rest of the words used. Sorry.

I'll print it and have another look at home later.

[Andreas 0]

Certainly not complaint. It is way too formal. This guy (?) is spilling his guts. Not complaining. Moan doesn't sound quite right either. Grievance? Lamentation?

[francois 4]

If not complaint, why not grievance? Interesting idea, Andrea, but definitely not moan...

[Olga Fendrych 0]

Geske, thanks!

As for "parapono pikro": a bitter sorrow?

Sorry for my not perfect English, but that was "only" a moment I could catch finally the meaning of the verse "fer'tin mazi soy..." hen I was listening to that, was not possible to understand, because of many abbreviations f words.

Θα ηθελα.... , yes, Geske, it's exactly: I would like.... Ηθελα (alone): I wanted.... No a great difference in our song now, but: you wanted to know that....

[francois 4]

Ηθελα (alone): I wanted....

Olga, that's right, but in some other contexts, it can mean "I'd have liked". Read Greek, Olga, (this is the only way), don't only stick to your grammar. Grammars and dictionaries are all very good, but they are only grammars and dictionaries. (Sorry, this post should have been inserted in the topic about Learning Greek).

No, Olga, "παράπονο" does not mean sorrow! Complaint, grievance, moan if you like (although this one doesn't really stick to the meaning), but NOT sorrow....

[Olga Fendrych 0]

Thanks, Francois! Althought I am not reading many Greek texts, I listen and listen and listen instead of that (this is how I became - toute proportions gardé - "addicted", if you would call that "addiction").

So what about our "parapono"? Not "sorrow"? THen, help; I would have a suitable Polish word, but not the English one. Ti krima.

They say in my Greek-German: Klage, Beschwerde, Trübsal. Anna, Rita, Franz? "Complaint" then?

[soc 1]

Ο καϋμένος ο κύριος Νίκος. Πού να 'ξερε...

[Olga Fendrych 0]

I forgot "kardia mou, min paraponiesai" and the so beautiful and loved "Paraponiariko mou" (i would know a perfect Polish word for that, again, but no English one...).

Can that help us, as comparison?

[Olga Fendrych 0]

"sadness"?

[francois 4]

Sadness = λύπη

Sorrow = καημός

See previous posts for παράπονο, Olga.

[Olga Fendrych 0]

So, what about our "parapono"? I can't think, there is no a good translation possible!

[francois 4]

Olga, go and check your e-mail box...

[Kate 42]

"Παράπονο' is certainly very troublesome. Geeske is absolutely right to go for something that combines a sound and a concept. But 'moan' is tricky and I think best avoided. For one thing it has negative associations, being mainly used to indicate that the 'moaner' is either doing too much of it and/or doesn't really have any real justification. Since we're basically looking for a noun here, neither 'complaint' nor 'protest' on their own seem quite right. A complaint is most usually connected with getting bad service, and a protest has both collective and political associations .

So, I don't know really. 'Cry of protest' might do, or even 'cry' here because the context would fill in the missing bits (and it would balance with 'smile). But then maybe not.

[francois 4]

I think "Παράπονο" should now be very easy for every one to understand. It has now been thoroughly explained, no need of a translation if you understand the word...

Thanks, Kate for your precious help.

[Olga Fendrych 0]

Francois, pardon! What about the meaning "complaint" in the phrase from another song: "To parapono me pire"? It doesn't suit there so well (for me) like "sorrow" or even "sadness".

Kate, please?

[Olga Fendrych 0]

KATE, PLEASE?