— To a friend going into the army —
Wearing an eighteen-year old boyish face,
chained to the machine day and night
for five years since you stood in the factory door,
with never a left-over from eating poorly and playing little,
you've kicked and screamed about the sad, greasy rice,
now, since you were born as a boy, you're going into the army!
The bloom of your youth, good up till now, is going to be corrupted!
This good-for-nothing friend has nothing to give
to you while you're leaving
crying burly tears.
Besides one cup of rotgut booze, I have nothing to give you.
But Ch'ol-su,
you're not going off to be corrupted.
Some day during your three-year confinement in that blue uniform,
it will have been a precious life that can't be discarded without cost.
Live passionately, even though you're in the army.
Don't wish for nights of drinking or for comfortable assignments,
even among your comrades, don't step out of line.
Even in the army life, wearing the soldier's uniform like every one else,
eating greasy rice like every one else, sweating like every one else,
get recognition fair and square
before those shameful, savvy bastards who've learned and have so much,
but only through sincerity and hard labor.
Pick up the broom one more time.
Polish one more piece of silverware.
When it's time to work, work with a vengeance.
Peel when they say " PEEL! " Pluck when they say " PLUCK! "
Don't ignore the point of it all, but live positively.
Even when you think you're being victimized
by the arrogance of the old hands or lackeys of the soldiers above you,
even when you think you're suffering all alone for no reason,
as time goes by you'll become an old hand too —
instead, sell your labor for that price and
more than this fucked-up society where you're kicking and screaming at the overtime that keeps building as you go,
isn't it army life, oddly enough, its going around
coming around equally, which is fair and clean?
In that life learn the submission beyond servility,
learn the true labor of every one sweating together for the corporation.
With a practical love flowing through your body,
with a spirit of sacrifice that doesn't refuse the disgusting work,
find and make good friends.
Among friends who've received bitter wounds, just like you,
in a society that judges by money and academic cliques and connections,
you'll realize with your whole body
that only sincerity and hard work have a genuine and precious value.
To that different you who's becoming one amid the tight collaboration,
find good friends.
Amid bursting laughter spread adventure and stoutness of heart.
Amid raids and marches, among the lackeys, grow some balls.
Stretch your courage to act, to distinguish the truth and lies of commands,
the fortitude to take some underling under your wing.
If there's any time left over, read and think and thrive,
learn passionately.
Under the desolate guardpost drenched with moonlight
carve the tragedy of Korea's division into the depths of your heart.
While you cry
you're going off to get corrupted by three years in the army.
Get corrupted passionately
up until the day you return,
corrupted, then once again like a flower's bud.
This stupid friend too, you too, your friends too,
will bloom like blindingly-bright flower buds, but
let's all of us, passionately,
get corrupted together
until we violently shake the whole world for all to see.
After that, along with cooperation, practice, labor,
good friends who've become a part of your life,
heated and rolled smooth
as a reliable worker,
return to our arms
with your shining face.
Ch'ol-su, wipe away your tears.
With the laborer's tenacious will to live,
passionately, passionately
you must get corrupted well.
Wearing an eighteen-year old boyish face,
chained to the machine day and night
for five years since you stood in the factory door,
with never a left-over from eating poorly and playing little,
you've kicked and screamed about the sad, greasy rice,
now, since you were born as a boy, you're going into the army!
The bloom of your youth, good up till now, is going to be corrupted!
This good-for-nothing friend has nothing to give
to you while you're leaving
crying burly tears.
Besides one cup of rotgut booze, I have nothing to give you.
But Ch'ol-su,
you're not going off to be corrupted.
Some day during your three-year confinement in that blue uniform,
it will have been a precious life that can't be discarded without cost.
Live passionately, even though you're in the army.
Don't wish for nights of drinking or for comfortable assignments,
even among your comrades, don't step out of line.
Even in the army life, wearing the soldier's uniform like every one else,
eating greasy rice like every one else, sweating like every one else,
get recognition fair and square
before those shameful, savvy bastards who've learned and have so much,
but only through sincerity and hard labor.
Pick up the broom one more time.
Polish one more piece of silverware.
When it's time to work, work with a vengeance.
Peel when they say " PEEL! " Pluck when they say " PLUCK! "
Don't ignore the point of it all, but live positively.
Even when you think you're being victimized
by the arrogance of the old hands or lackeys of the soldiers above you,
even when you think you're suffering all alone for no reason,
as time goes by you'll become an old hand too —
instead, sell your labor for that price and
more than this fucked-up society where you're kicking and screaming at the overtime that keeps building as you go,
isn't it army life, oddly enough, its going around
coming around equally, which is fair and clean?
In that life learn the submission beyond servility,
learn the true labor of every one sweating together for the corporation.
With a practical love flowing through your body,
with a spirit of sacrifice that doesn't refuse the disgusting work,
find and make good friends.
Among friends who've received bitter wounds, just like you,
in a society that judges by money and academic cliques and connections,
you'll realize with your whole body
that only sincerity and hard work have a genuine and precious value.
To that different you who's becoming one amid the tight collaboration,
find good friends.
Amid bursting laughter spread adventure and stoutness of heart.
Amid raids and marches, among the lackeys, grow some balls.
Stretch your courage to act, to distinguish the truth and lies of commands,
the fortitude to take some underling under your wing.
If there's any time left over, read and think and thrive,
learn passionately.
Under the desolate guardpost drenched with moonlight
carve the tragedy of Korea's division into the depths of your heart.
While you cry
you're going off to get corrupted by three years in the army.
Get corrupted passionately
up until the day you return,
corrupted, then once again like a flower's bud.
This stupid friend too, you too, your friends too,
will bloom like blindingly-bright flower buds, but
let's all of us, passionately,
get corrupted together
until we violently shake the whole world for all to see.
After that, along with cooperation, practice, labor,
good friends who've become a part of your life,
heated and rolled smooth
as a reliable worker,
return to our arms
with your shining face.
Ch'ol-su, wipe away your tears.
With the laborer's tenacious will to live,
passionately, passionately
you must get corrupted well.