moli lawa ("Mental Death", Toki Pona song ♫)

Lyrics & Music: jan Sepulon
Pictures: public domain (from the 1920 silent movie "the cabinet of Dr Caligari")
nimi pi kalama musi mi li ni:
tenpo mute la mi wile pona e jan.
taso mi ken ala tan ni:
nasin lawa pakala mi
li kalama, li utala,
li anpa e pona ona.
moli lawa. insa lete.
pilin ala. pakala mute.
mi jan ante la wawa sin li ken kama.
taso mi jan ike taso.
mi monsuta. mi pakala.
mi awen e tenpo lape.
mi o awen e pimeja.
suno li tawa weka la
o utala e monsuta!
mi jan pona la mi pona e jan ale.
taso mi jan pi monsuta pakala ko.
mi o tawa.
mi awen e tenpo weka.
mi o olin e pimeja!
Toki Pona is a constructed language created in 2001 by Sonja Lang. Initially conceived as an exploration of life's essence through 120 words, it has evolved into a 137-word artistic, philosophical, and playful language spoken by a vibrant community worldwide.
(see tokipona.org for more info)
#electronica #coldwave #minimal_synth #minimal_wave #synthwave #synthpop #darkwave #ebm #industrial #new_wave #alternative #gothic #goth #electro #80s
도기 보나
토키포나 노래
トキポナの歌
トキポナ

[@janPolijan]

sina wawa. pilin pimeja li kama lon insa pi sijelo mi.

[@jansepulon]

o moku e moku suwi e telo suwi seli !

[@jacobbestmusiclilon]

kalama pimeja pi wile mi. sina pona mute, jan Sepulon o! sitelen majuna li pona tawa kalama ni kin.

[@jansepulon]

ike la, mi ken ala kepeken sitelen tawa majuna mute. lawa ken li nasa. mi wile kepeken sitelen tawa majuna la, mi o pana e mani tawa jan lili pi jan pali ona. sitelen tawa pi majuna suli taso li pona tawa ni.

[@Browncoyote]

pimeja pona

[@jansepulon]

pimeja li ken pona a

[@Avaxar]

My attempted naturalized translation in English (not really singable), while still retaining the toki pona constructions
alasa mi pi ante toki (ken ala pi kalama uta) lon toki Inli
tenpo mute la mi wile pona e jan.
Often, I would want to be good on people,
taso mi ken ala tan ni:
but I cannot, because
nasin lawa pakala mi
the destructive mental state of mine
li kalama, li utala,
goes to speak, goes to fight,
li anpa e pona ona.
and goes to devalue their worth.
moli lawa. insa lete.
Mental death; cold self;
pilin ala. pakala mute.
lack of feeling; ultimate desolation.
mi jan ante la wawa sin li ken kama.
If I were to be another person, new strength could come.
taso mi jan ike taso.
But I'm just an abominable person.
mi monsuta. mi pakala.
I scare; I destroy.
mi awen e tenpo lape.
I'd stay at the time of slumber.
mi o awen e pimeja.
I shall stay in the darkness.
suno li tawa weka la
As the sun has set,
o utala e monsuta!
o fight the demons!
mi jan pona la mi pona e jan ale.
If I were a decent person, I'd be good to all.
taso mi jan pi monsuta pakala ko.
But I'm a person of viscous destructive fright.
mi o tawa.
I shall go.
mi awen e tenpo weka.
I wait to the distant time.
mi o olin e pimeja!
I am to love the darkness!

[@jansepulon]

Thanks for the nice translation! It's a valid one, but it may deviate a bit from what I had in mind in some places. I like it a lot, though (and it's even darker than what I intended, so... yay!)