So...I kinda got into EXO maybe about 2 months ago, maybe a couple weeks after the Breath promotion when I found out Chen and Liyin did a duet together. That was when I actively sought out EXO's music. I kinda like MAMA a lot. So I wanna try a tranlsation/interpretation of the lyrics, because the subject content seems interesting.

THIS IS STILL ROUGH COPY WORK IN PROGRESS!!! I need to check the pinyin; i went by what I remember/guessed. Also need to rethink some of the wording on literal translation before writing interpretation.

 

Introduction 

Disclaimer: This is not official; I typed the following out based on what I heard from the video and the Chinese translation provided in the video. I could have made some errors in the words. I am not used to the narrator's British? accent to be honest.

When the skies and the grounds were one, legends through their twelve forces nurture the tree of life. An eye of red force created the evil which coveted the heart of tree of life and the heart slowly grew dried. To attend and embrace the heart of the tree of life, the legends hereby divide the tree in half and hide each side. Hence times overturn and hence space turns askew. The twelve forces divide into two, and create two suns that are alike into two worlds that seem alike, the legends travel apart. The legends shall now see the same sky but shall stand on different grounds, shall stand on the same ground but shall see different skies. The day the grounds beget a single file before one sky, in two worlds that seem alike, the legends will greet each other. The day the red forces purify and the twelve forces reunite into one perfect legion, a new world shall open up.

Lyrics (Literal Translation)

Translation notes: I tried to stick true to the words as objectively as possible, so I'm translating phrase by phrase. Chinese characters on their own can have multiple meanings. When paired together (I paired the Pin Yin together), they can have a specific meaning. But some word pairings are unusual and thus may be open to interpretation, so any further analysis will be in the interpretation section. Note if the original lyrics did not contain pronouns, I left them out. Lyrics have a tendency to leave out pronouns, leaves room for listeners' interpretation.

Careless, careless.  Shoot anonymous, anonymous.

Heartless, mindless.  No one, who care about me?

失落的感觉    谁在乎只有忍耐
shīluò de gǎnjué  shuí zàihu zhǐyǒu rěnnài
(The feeling of disappointment, who cares only have restraint)

我再也无法接受    闭上了双眼
wǒ zàiyě wúfǎ jiēshòu  bìshàng le shuāngyǎn
(I cannot accept no matter what, already closed up both eyes)

MAMA 可不可以请告诉我    为什么人会变的不一样
MAMA ke bu ke yi qing gao su wo  Wei shen me ren hui bian de bu yi yang
(MAMA please will you tell me, why people will become different)

那些听说过的美丽日子是真的存在过吗
Na xie ting shuo guo de mei li ri zi shi zhen de zuan zi guo ma
(Did those beautiful days heard spoken about really exist before?)  

早就忘了应该要更努力爱着他    早就忘了心去包容他
Zao jiu wang le yin gai yao geng nu li ai zhe ta  Zao jiu wang le xin qu bao rong ta
(Forgotten early on, should have put more effort to love him, Forgotten heart early on to accomodate him)

自顾自的生活是否假装继续忙
Zi gu zi de sheng huo shi fou jia zhuang ji xu mang
(Each taking care of one's own life, isn't it pretending to continue keeping busy)

隐形在你的面具背后充满许多的表情
Yin xing zai ne de mian ju bei hou chong man xu duo de biao qing
(Invisible behind your mask, full of many expressions)

到最后却始终如一    真的更好吗
Dao zui huo que shi zhong ru yi  Zhen de geng hao ma
(Till the end, but beginning and end is the same one, is it really much better?)

*Chorus - start*

我们要这样    不再看彼此的眼神吗
Wo men yao zhe yang  Bu zai kan bi ci de yang shen ma
(We want this, to not see each other's gaze again? 

不再对我讲话吗    不再说你爱我吗
Bu zai dui wo jiang wa ma  Bu zai shuo ni ai wo ma
(To not speak to me again? To not say you love me?)

就算受了伤    眼泪也如雨的下
Jiu suan shou le shang  Yang lei ye ru yu de xia
(Even if suffered injury, tears would fall like rain)

改变就能解答    改变就能到达    告诉我 MAMA MAMA
Gai bian jiu neng jie da  Gai bian jiu neng dao da  Gao su wo MAMA
(Change then can answer/solve, change then can reach destination, tell me MAMA MAMA)

*Chorus - end*

都忘了什么时候开始我们被关在聪明里头
Dou wang le shen me shi hou kai shi wo me bei guan zai chong ming li tou
(Also forgotten when it started, we were locked inside intelligence)

我的世界只在0和1的制作中度过
Wo de shi jie zhi zai 0 he 1 de zhi zuo zhong du guo
(My world only passes each day in the production of 0 and 1)

没有生命力    没感情    每天毫无根据
Mei you sheng ming li  Mei gan qing  Mei tian hao wu geng ju
(Do not have will to live, do not have feelings, each day has no substantial basis)

越久就更寂寞    只有自己受伤和难过
Yue jiu jiu geng ji mo  Zhi you zi ji shou shang he nan guo
(the longer time passes, the more lonely, only myself feels hurt and sadness)

相遇和牵手    感受泪和笑容
Xiang yu he qian shou  Gan shou lei he xiao rong
(Meeting together and holding hands, feeling tears and smiles)

越贴近的频率    我们开心感应    可能回来吗
Yue tie jin de peng lu  Wo men kai xin gan ying  Ke neng hui lai me
(The closer the frequency, our happy sensories can return?)

隐形在你的面具背后充满许多的表情
Yin xing zai ne de mian ju bei hou chong man xu duo de biao qing
(Invisible behind your mask, full of many expressions)

到最后却始终如一    这样真的更好吗
Dao zui huo que shi zhong ru yi  Zhen de geng hao ma
(Till the end, beginning and end is one, is it really much better?)

*Chorus*

Turn back!

最后我怒吼    我狂弃    我回温    不想要世界变的冷
Zui huo we nu hou  Wo kuang qi  Wo hui wen  Bu xiang yao shi jie bian de leng
(At the end I howl angrily, I crazily leave, I go back to being warm, Do not want the world to become cold)

请帮帮我 MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back
Qing bang bang wo MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back
(Please help me MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back)

告诉我 MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA rolling back
Gao su wo MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA rolling back
(Tell me MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA rolling back)

追逐    失控    看谁都很冷漠    游戏不会这样做
Zui zhu  Shi kong  Kan shui dou hen leng mo  You xi bu hui zhe yang zuo
(Chasing down, Lost control, looking at anyone is cold, game will not do this)

请帮帮我 MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back
Qing bang bang wo MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back
(Please help me MAMA MAMA MAMA MAMA turn back)

Yeah

Careless, careless. (MAMA)  Shoot anonymous, anonymous. (MAMA)

Heartless, mindless. (MAMA)  No one, who care about me? (MAMA)

因为受到了祝福    我能感觉到真的快乐
Yin wei shou dao le ju fu  Wo neng gan jue dao zhen de kuai le
(Because felt blessing, I can feel real happiness)

多想要每天认识更多的人
Duo xiang yao mei tian ren shi geng duo de ren
(Want very much to know more people each day)

把碎了的心重温    只要有爱的单纯
Ba shui le de xin chong wen  Zhi yao you ai de dan chun
(Reheat already broken heart, as long as having love's naievity

找回我原本笑容里的真
Zhao hui we yuan ben xiao rong li de zhen
(Find back the truth in my original smile)

*Chorus*

Careless, careless.  Shoot anonymous, anonymous.

Heartless, mindless.  No one, who care about me?