Here is my translation of a song by Jaromír Nohavica. I found this translation quite easy and I hope that I didn't make too many mistakes STARÝ MUŽ Až budu starým mužem budu staré knihy číst a mladé víno lisovat až budu starým mužem budu si konečně jist tím koho chci milovat koupím si pergamen a štětec a tuš a jako čínský mudrc sednu na břeh řeky a budu starý muž When I am an old man I will read old books and press young(?) wine When I am an old man I will finally be sure of whom I want to love I will buy a scroll, a brush and ink and like a Chinese wise man I will sit by the river bank and I will be an old man. Až budu starým mužem pořídím si starý byt a jedno staré rádio až budu starým mužem budu svoje místo mít u okna kavárny Avion koupím si pergamen a štětec a tuš a budu pozorovat lidi kam jdou asi a budu starý muž When I am an old man I will acquire an old place to live and an old radio When I am an old man I will have my place by the window of Avion coffee house I will buy a scroll, a brush and ink and probably I will watch people as they go and I will be an old man Až budu starým mužem budu černý oblek mít a šedou vázanku až budu starým mužem budu místo vody pít lahodné víno ze džbánku koupím si pergamen a štětec a tuš a budu mlčet jako mlčí ti kdo vědí už starý muž When I am an old man I will have black clothes and grey neckties When I am an old man instead of water I will drink sweet wine from a pitcher I will buy a scroll, a brush and ink and I will be silent like he who already knows old man ---- It's interesting: the first line of a verse is always "Až budu starým mužem" but the last line is "budu starý muž" Does the last line mean that now he finally indeed IS an old man?
Very good Pozorovat lidi, kam jdou asi (?) Watch people, (wonder) where they go mladé víno - first wine of season (I guess) - like Beaujolais nouveau (please correct me someone if I am wrong, I am not really into wine) Až budu starým mužem (až budu Kým) - nominative Až budu starý muž (až budu Kdo) - instrumental I guess this varies in the song just because of rythm/rhyme.
Alexx, Thanks for the explanations. Díky za vysvětlení. Gracias por las correcciones. * Great! A new phrase for me to learn. I will add it to my vocabulary list ** I understand what you mean, even though I am not into wine myself *** Oops. You wrote the cases in the wrong place. It should be instrumental, then nominative :wink:
Perhaps “if/as and when I am…” or even “once I become… / as soon as I become”. It’s wine fermented for a short period. Nohavica is from the Czech Republic, hence he is more likely to produce the wine of St. Martin than Beaujolais. :wink: (Some people use the word “víno” even for the grapes. In this context “mladé víno” could stay for “early grapes”.) pergamen = parchment, vellum scroll = svitek No, you can’t move the “asi” from the subordinate clause to the main clause. This means he wonders what’s the likely destination of the people. In Czech we often use “mít (na sobě)” in place of English “to wear”, so perhaps “I will wear”. And there is only one necktie in the original. better: delicious, mellow, tasty In the original there is “like they (the people) who already know”. Is the singular the common construction in English? “Být + nominative” is used for absolute facts (state) while “být + instrumental” is used for relative/temporary facts (change of state). The opening line refers to a change of state: once I become an old man (and not before) ~ when I retire The closing line refers to simple fact (state) of being old (wise) man.
Thanks for all the explanations, wer, I really appreciate your insights. * The singular construction is used sometimes in English, for example: He who laughs last laughs best He who hesitates is lost He who is not against you is for you He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone