Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Darcy Brandel
Photography by Choi Il-ryoung
Prologue by Yun Dong-ju
Until the day I die
I long to have no speck of shame
when I gaze up toward heaven,
so I have tormented myself,
even when the wind stirs the leaves.
With a heart that sings the stars,
I will love all dying things.
And I will walk the way
that has been given to me.
Tonight, again, the wind brushes the stars.
서시(序詩)/ 윤동주
죽는 날까지 하늘을 우러러
한 점 부끄럼이 없기를,
잎새에 이는 바람에도
나는 괴로워했다.
별을 노래하는 마음으로
모든 죽어 가는 것을 사랑해야지.
그리고 나한테 주어진 길을
걸어가야겠다.
오늘 밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다.
“하늘과 바람과 별과 시” (정음사, 1948)
Yun Dong-ju (1917 – 1945) was born in Longjing, Jiandao, in present-day northeastern China. He was known for lyric poetry as well as resistance poetry against Japanese colonialism.
Korean Poetry in Translation 
Love this one.
hello,
this is sukie park from www,NYCultureBeat.com, a korean language website about culture, food and people.
i was wondering if i could post some of dr. song’s translations of korean poetry at
http://www.nyculturebeat.com/index.php?mid=Column_PoetryWindow
i’ll clarify the source credit.
let me know.
thanks.
best,
sukie
Hi Sukie,
This is Jina, JP’s wife. I am sorry for the delay in responding. I just saw the request.
JP’s colleagues and I are planning to publish these poems, and I am not sure how the copyright would work for your posting in the future.
However, since they are not published yet, feel free to post them, but I would greatly appreciate if you link his site on your posting.
Thank you very much!
Jina
hi jina,
thanks for the permission!
i would like to post the poems with the source as:
Translated by the late Dr. Chae-Pyong (“J.P.”) Song
*Published with permission from Jina Song(?)
https://jaypsong.wordpress.com
please let me know if i need to make any changes.
also let me know when the book is published.
thanks!
all the best,
sukie
Wonderfull poetry!!!
Prolog, Yun Dongju
Do końca moich dni będę spoglądał w niebo,
abym nie musiał się już wstydzić.
W powiewie wiatru co ledwie kołysał listkami
poznałem mękę oddychania.
Pragnę o gwiazdach śpiewać i objąć miłością
wszystkich, którzy odchodzą.
Dalej kroczyć drogą, którą obdarzył mnie los.
I znów tej nocy gwiazdy pieścił wiatr.
translated into Polish by Choi Sung Eun, Beata Bogusz
Thank you for this website on poetry with both the English translations and the korean! such a beautiful blog! I will read more from here!