This article was originally posted on WomenLearnThai.com.
Left in the Middle of the Road (ทิ้งไว้กลางทาง)…
Here’s my translation of ทิ้งไว้กลางทาง (Left in the Middle of the Road). It’s by พัฒน์ชัย ภักดีสู่สุข (ปั้บ) Patchai Pukdesusook (Pup), who’s been the lead singer of Potato since 2001. You can catch them on Facebook: Potato.
There’s a TV program called สถานีแสนแสบ in which the band Potato appeared to answer questions about this song. This gave me some insight into what they wanted this song to convey.
Pup said it is the band’s intention that the song be not only for broken-hearted lovers. One example is for a band member to make the decision to leave his current band, to join a different band (e.g. Potato) because he felt that it is the right thing to do (it may lead him all the way to his destination i.e. ultimate goal).
So even if you are not a jilted lover: “have you ever felt like you were left in the middle of the road and do you think that the person who made you feel that, did the right thing?” OR “have you ever made someone feel like they have been left in the middle of the road and do you think that you did the right thing?”
ทิ้งไว้กลางทาง…
มันดีแค่ไหนกัน ที่เราได้ร่วมทาง จนถึงวันนี้ก็เนิ่นนาน
How great has it been That we have travelled together on this road For a long time until today.
มันเป็นเพราะฉันเอง ยังดีไม่มากพอ ทำที่เธอขอไม่ได้เลย
It is all because of me I’m still not good enough To do all that you have asked of me.
เมื่อเธอจะไปก็เข้าใจ เมื่อเธอเจอใครดีกว่ามากมาย คงไม่ต้องรอ
When you leave, I’ll understand As you’ve met someone who is so much better there’s no need to wait around any longer.
ทำถูกแล้ว ที่เธอเลือกเขาและทิ้งฉันไว้ตรงกลางทาง
You’re doing the right thing by choosing him and leaving me here in the middle of the road.
เมื่อตัวเธอ พบคนที่ดี ที่เธอวาดไว้ในหัวใจ
When you’ve met a good person One that you have always painted in your heart.
ปล่อยมือฉัน ถูกแล้ว ให้ใจของฉันปวดร้าวแค่ไหน
Let go of my hand It’s the right thing to do No matter how much my heart aches, let it be.
ยอมฝืนใจ ให้เธอเดินจากฉันไป เมื่อรู้ว่าเธอ … มีคนที่พาไปถึงปลายทาง
(I’m) willing to force myself To let you walk away from me Once I knew that there was someone to lead you to the end of the road.
ความจริงที่ฉันกลัว กลัวการไม่มีเธอ กลัวถึงวันนี้มาเนิ่นนาน
The truth that I fear Scared of not having you around For a long time until today, I’ve been afraid of this.
เพียงคำว่ารักเธอ มันคงไม่เพียงพอ ให้รั้งเธอไว้ไม่ได้เลย
Just the words “(I) love you” Are probably not enough to hold you back.
DOWNLOAD: Pdf with transliteration: Translation: Left in the Middle of the Road
Kris
Thanks for your views. I did consider ‘imagine’ however I felt that it could be a bit too wide because theoretically there are no limits to one’s imagination. When we form a picture of an ideal lover / life partner, I think that we try to limit our imagination to someone ‘achievable’ bearing in mind our attributes, qualities, status, etc. The more realistic the picture of that ideal person for us that we paint in our mind / heart, then the higher the chance of our meeting someone fitting that image. I take วาดหวัง as meaning more ‘(to) expect’ than ‘(to) imagine.
To me, the girl has met the guy that fits the picture that she has painted in her heart and she has made the decision to be with the new guy. So the guy singing the song is saying that since there is now a guy to take care of of the girl and lead her to her destination, the guy singing the song is willing to force himself to let her go. You know, ‘if you love someone, you’ll let them go’ kind of thing.
ปล่อยมือฉัน ถูกแล้ว ให้ใจของฉันปวดร้าวแค่ไหน
Let go of my hand It’s the right thing to do No matter how much my heart aches, let it be.
ยอมฝืนใจ ให้เธอเดินจากฉันไป เมื่อรู้ว่าเธอ … มีคนที่พาไปถึงปลายทาง
(I’m) willing to force myself To let you walk away from me Once I knew that there was someone to lead you to the end of the road.
I don’t understand where the “let it be” comes from?
I looks to me like the last part of the first line and the first part of the second line belong together.
“ให้ใจของฉันปวดร้าวแค่ไหน ยอมฝืนใจ ให้เธอเดินจากฉันไป เมื่อรู้ว่าเธอ … มีคนที่พาไปถึงปลายทาง”
No matter how much heart-broken I would be, I am willing to harden my heart and let that you walk away if I would know that there someone (else) that will lead you to your destination.
ที่เธอวาดไว้ในหัวใจ
I see that วาด is sometimes used in the sense of “imagine” like in วาดหวัง or sometimes even วาดภาพ. So maybe “that you have always imagined in your heart” can be an alternative translation?
Sean, this is such a sweet/sad song – a ‘growing up’ song, really. Thank you for showing it to me. Love it.
ตัวเหม็นที่ตายกลางทาง
Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu5hzc2Mei4
Thanks, Cat.
Here’s hoping that I’ll always sing this song just for fun and never have to mean what’s in the lyrics. Big Smiley goes here.