정선아리랑 1(Jeongseon Arirang 1)

Jeongseon Arirang Lyrics & Commentary [Verse 1] The twelve thousand peaks of Mt. Geumgang in Gangwon-do Behind the main hall of Yujeomsa Temple, one of the eighty-nine hermitages Gathering the Seven Star Altar Praying for sons and daughters not destined for me Do not offer such devotion with my aging body for ten days in the twelfth lunar month Do not look down upon this lonely woman born a hundred miles away [Commentary on Verse 1] A scene depicting a woman, blessed with no children and growing old alone in a foreign land, Dragging her aging body to the Seven Star Altar at Yujeomsa Temple in Mt. Geumgang in the dead of winter Setting up offerings and praying earnestly for the birth of sons and daughters Appealing to the heavens, saying, "Please do not ignore my plight, for I have gone to such lengths." [Chorus] Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo Please let me cross the Arirang Pass [Commentary on Chorus] An earnest plea to be led so that I may cross this pass of suffering. [Verse 2] Weary from the storms of life, I have lost all will in everything Suddenly casting everything aside, I lean on my walking stick And go without a destination; the scenery is different from the past All things are desolate, and gazing indifferently at the setting sun Recalling the past As I try to be carefree, everything before my eyes is nothing but sorrow [Explanation of Verse 2] A scene depicting a traveler, exhausted by the turmoil of the world and having lost all will for anything, leaning on a single walking stick and wandering without a destination, Standing blankly before the lonely sunset, Recalling the days of the past. The deep solitude of a wanderer who, even when trying to remain blank, finds nothing but sadness in everything visible. [Chorus] Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo Please let me cross over the Arirang Pass [Verse 3] Through towering, rugged passes, pushing through thorny thickets and tangled kudzu vines, and winding through valleys where streams meander, I have come alone, struggling and trudging a thousand miles, but you look at me with a heartless indifference. [Explanation of Verse 3] Pushing through rugged passes entangled with kudzu vines and thorny thickets, and winding through gnarled valleys, I have come alone to find my beloved, not considering a thousand miles a distance, but the profound sense of betrayal and sorrow felt before my beloved, who pretends not to see me and does not even look back. [Verse 4] Behind the Dharma halls of the 89,000 hermitages, I light a candle, and pray with clasped hands, asking for sons and daughters. [Explanation of Verse 4] Concludes with a symmetrical structure with Verse 1. The image of a woman who, having endured all the hardships, separations, and rejections of the world, ultimately returns to praying with her hands clasped before the candlelight in front of the temple. Not resignation, but an earnest yearning for a life that cannot be abandoned. [Overall Narrative] The sorrow of being childless → The loneliness of wandering the world → The sense of betrayal at being turned away by her lover → Yet, the woman who prays again with her hands clasped. A song that fully captures the "Han" (deep-seated sorrow) of Korean women and the joys and sorrows of life. #JeongseonArirang #KoreanTraditionalMusic #FolkSong