English translation and Korean lesson with the lyrics of ON by BTS, from the 2020 album Map of the Soul: 7.
Produced by: Pdogg
Written by: Pdogg, RM, August Rigo, Melanie Joy Fontana, Michel “Lindgren” Schulz, SUGA, j-hope, Antonina Armato, Krysta Youngs, Julia Ross
Find it here: Youtube • Spotify • Apple Music • Amazon Music
Sia version: Spotify • Apple Music • Amazon Music
Verse 1:
I can’t understand what people are sayin’
어느 장단에 맞춰야 될지
or what rhythm I’m supposed to follow.
(장단에 맞추다 – to match the beat – is a Korean expression meaning to follow what others are doing, do things their way, or play by their rules. It is basically the opposite of the English expression “to walk to the beat of one’s own drum”.)
어느 = which
장단 = rhythm
-에 = at, on, to X (장단에)
뭊추다 = to make something match with something else, adjust something to fit with something else
-야 되다 = to have to do X (맞추야 될지)
한 발자국 떼면 한 발자국 커지는 shadow
When I take a step my shadow gets a step bigger.
한 = one
발자국 = footstep
떼다 = to remove, to detach
크다 = to be big
-어지다 / -아지다 = moves an adjective into a transitional state IE: “to be getting big” instead of “to be big” (커지는)
잠에서 눈을 뜬 여긴 또 어디
I wake up and open my eyes. Where am I now?
잠 = sleep
-에서 = out of X, from X (잠에서)
눈 = eye(s)
뜨다 = to open (eyes only. Doors, windows, etc, use a different verb)
여기 = here
또 = again, once again
어디 = where
어쩜 서울 또 New York or Paris
Maybe Seoul or New York or Paris.
어쩜 = maybe
일어나니 휘청이는 몸
My body reels as I get up.
일어나다 = to get up
휘청이다 = to stagger, falter, reel
몸 = body
Look at my feet, look down
날 닮은 그림자
The shadow looks like me.
나 = I, me
닮다 = to resemble
그림자 = shadow
흔들리는 건 이놈인가
Is that shaking thing this guy
흔들리다 = to be shaking
거 = thing
이 = this, these
놈 = guy
아니면 내 작은 발끝인가
or is it the tips of my feet?
아니면 = or (literally, “if not X…”, X being the preceding clause)
내 = I, me, my
작다 = to be small
발끝 = the end of a foot (발 = foot + 끝 = the end of something)
두렵지 않을 리 없잖아
There’s no way I’m not afraid.
두렵다 = to be scared
-지 않다 = to not do X (두렵지 않을)
-리 없다 = “There’s no way X would be the case.”
-잖아 = used when saying something the speaker and listener both already know (없잖아)
다 괜찮을 리 없잖아
There’s no way everything is okay.
다 = all, everything
괜찮다 = to be fine, to be okay
그래도 I know 서툴게 I flow
But still I know. Awkwardly I flow.
그래도 = even so, however, still
서툴다 = to be unskilled, clumsy, awkward; but not because you’re not talented, but because you are fairly new to something or haven’t fully learned it yet. (서투르다 is another accepted spelling)
-게 = turns an adjective into an adverb IE: “awkward” becomes “awkwardly” (서툴게)
저 까만 바람과 함께 날아
I fly together with that black wind.
저 = that, those
까맣다 = to be black
바람 = wind
-과 / -와 = “and” when followed by another noun. “with” in all other cases. (바람과)
함께 = together
날다 = to fly
Pre-Chorus:
Hey na na na
미치지 않으려면 미쳐야 해
If you don’t want to go crazy, you have to go crazy.
미치다 = to be/go crazy
-으려 / -려 = in order to do X (않으려면)
-면 / -으면 = if/when X (않으려면)
-야 하다 = to have to do X (미쳐야 해)
Hey na na na
나를 다 던져 이 두 쪽 세상에
I throw myself completely into both these worlds.
던지다 = to throw
두 = two
쪽 = direction
세상 = world
Hey na na na
Can’t hold me down ’cause you know I’m a fighter
제 발로 들어온 아름다운 감옥
I entered this beautiful prison on my own two feet.
Find me and I’m gonna live with ya.
제 = my, its, his/her, their
-로 = via X, using X (발로)
들어오다 = to come into (들다 = to enter + 오다 = to come)
아름답다 = to be beautiful
감옥 = a prison
Chorus:
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
가져오다 = to bring something (가지다 = to have something + 오다 = to come)
Bring the pain oh yeah
(Eh-oh) 올라타봐
(Eh-oh) Get on board!
올라타다 = to get onto/into a vehicle (오르다 = to go up + 타다 = to ride)
Bring the pain oh yeah
Rain be pourin’
Sky keep fallin’
Everyday oh na na na
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
Verse 2:
Bring the pain
모두 내 피와 살이 되겠지.
It will all become my blood and flesh.
(For something to “become one’s blood and flesh” is a Korean expression meaning that something will be of great help or benefit to you. That it will go into your system and strengthen you.
모두 = everything, all
피 = blood
살 = flesh, fat
되다 = to become
-지 = adds a nuance of “you know”, “isn’t it?” (되겠지)
Bring the pain
No fear, 방법을 알겠으니
No fear, because I know what to do.
방법 = a way, means, method
알다 = to know
-니 / -으니 = because X (알겠으니)
작은 것에 breathe
In the small things, breathe.
그건 어둠 속 내 산소와 빛
They’re my oxygen and light in the dark,
어둠 = darkness (어둠다 = to be dark)
속 = the inside of something
산소 = oxygen
빛 = light
내가 나이게 하는 것들의 힘
the strength of the things that make me me.
하다 = to do
-들 = makes a noun plural (것들의)
-의 = indicates possession, like ‘s in English (것들의)
힘 = strength, power
넘어져도 다시 일어나 scream
Even if I fall I get up again and scream.
넘어져도 다시 일어나 scream
Even if I fall I get up again and scream.
넘어지다 = to fall over
-어도 / -아도 = even if X (넘어져도)
다시 = again
언제나 우린 그랬으니
Because that’s what we’ve always done.
언제나 = always
우리 = we, us, our
그렇다 = to be like that
설령 내 무릎이 땅에 닿을지언정
Even if my knees hit the ground,
설령 = even if, even though
무릎 = knee(s)
땅 = earth, ground
닿다 = to reach, to touch
-ㄹ지언정 = even if X (닿을지언정)
파묻히지 않는 이상
as long as I don’t get buried
파묻히다 = to be buried
-지 않는 이상 = unless X happens
그저 그런 해프닝쯤 될 거란 걸.
it’ll just be another one of those times.
그저 = just
-쯤 = around, about, more or less (해프닝쯤)
Win no matter what
Win no matter what
Win no matter what
네가 뭐라던 누가 뭐라던
No matter what you say. No matter what anyone says.
네 = you, your
뭐 = what
누가 = who, someone, anyone
I don’t give a uh
I don’t give a uh
I don’t give a uh
Pre-Chorus:
Hey na na na
미치지 않으려면 미쳐야 해
If you don’t want to go crazy, you have to go crazy.
Hey na na na
나를 다 던져 이 두 쪽 세상에
I throw myself completely into both these worlds.
Hey na na na
Can’t hold me down ’cause you know I’m a fighter
제 발로 들어온 아름다운 감옥
I entered this beautiful prison on my own two feet.
Find me and I’m gonna live with ya.
Chorus:
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
(Eh-oh) 올라타봐
(Eh-oh) Get on board!
Bring the pain oh yeah
Rain be pourin’
Sky keep fallin’
Everyday oh na na na
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
Bridge:
나의 고통이 있는 곳에
In the place where my pain is
고통 = pain
-이 있다 = to have X (고통이 있는)
곳 = a place
내가 숨 쉬게 하소서
please let me breathe.
숨 = breath
숨 쉬다 = to breathe
-게 하다 = to make/let someone do X (숨 쉬게 하소서)
My everythin’ My blood and tears
Got no fears
I’m singin’ ohhhh
Oh I’m takin’ over
You should know yeah
Can’t hold me down ’cause you know I’m a fighter
깜깜한 심연 속 기꺼이 잠겨
Willingly I sink into the pitch-black abyss.
Find me and I’m gonna bleed with ya
깜깜하다 = to be pitch-dark
심연 = an abyss
기꺼이 = gladly, willingly
잠기다 =to sink into, be submerged in
Chorus:
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
(Eh-oh) 올라타봐
(Eh-oh) Get on board!
Bring the pain oh yeah
Rain be pourin’
Sky keep fallin’
Everyday oh na na na
(Eh-oh) Find me and I’m gonna bleed with ya.
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
(Eh-oh) 올라타봐
(Eh-oh) Get on board!
Bring the pain oh yeah
All that I know is just goin’ on and on and on and on.
(Eh-oh) 가져와
(Eh-oh) Bring it!
Bring the pain oh yeah
