Telepathy

“Telepathy” is the 5th track of Be, the BTS album released in November 2020. The Korean title for it is 잠시, or ‘For a Moment’. It was produced and written by SUGA, EL CAPITXN, Hiss noise, RM, Jung Kook.

A line-by-line translation and explanation follows the clean version. English lyrics are italicised and the stanzas are left as they are in the original. One addition for this album: because so many of the lyrics clearly represent the member that voices them, I’ve made a note of the artist when they sing or rap alone.

Clean Translation

💜  In the midst of my repetitive days, 
I’m happiest when I see you 
Of my different daily routines,  
you’re the most special to me

SUGA
Nothing much has happened, yeah?

You’re not sick anywhere, right? 
These days, I’m, hm
It’s like I’m floating 
Thanks to all this time, 
I write such a song as this 
This is a song for you 
Yeah, a song, yeah, a song 
j-hope
Let’s leave for the blue sea, 
that blue sea we enjoyed together 
Jung Kook
For a moment, with the useless worries
put to rest, for a moment, 
let’s enjoy it together, the 
small island in the middle of the blue sea that we reminisce about

V / Jimin
💞  For even if we’ve had to grow apart,
our hearts are still the same 
Jung Kook / Jin
Even if you’re not by my side, yeah 
Even if I’m not by your side, yeah
We know that we’re together 

💜

RM
Waking like the wild grass in the morning, 
I check on you like a mirror 

Instead of sleep stuck in my eyes, I’ve only got heaps of you on me 
It’s heavy again, my much bruised knee 
As I stroll through the streets, I think about 
these streets of ours that the stars have allowed for us 
Oh can I be your Bibilly Hills 
Like you did the same to me
(Baby)

Jimin
If it’s too quick, it’s a little dangerous 
Jin
If it’s too slow, it’s a little boring 
V
Without going too fast, 
or going too slow, 
let’s try matching our speeds 
This is quite a long and enjoyable rollercoaster 

💞

💜

---

Line-by-Line Translation

💜 매번 같은 하루들 중에
In the midst of my repetitive days, 

너를 만날 때 가장 난 행복해
I’m happiest when I see you 

매번 다른 일상들 속에
Of my different daily routines,  

너란 사람은 내게 가장 특별해
you’re the most special to me 💜

별일은 없지
Nothing much has happened, yeah?

아픈 곳은 없겠지
You’re not sick anywhere, right? 

난 요즘에 글쎄
These days, I’m, hm 

붕 떠 버린 것 같아
It’s like I’m floating 

많은 시간 덕에
Thanks to all this time, 

이런 노랠 쓰네
I write such a song as this 

이건 너를 위한 노래
This is a song for you 

Yeah 노래 yeah 노래
Yeah, a song, yeah, a song 

자 떠나자 푸른 바다로
Let’s leave for the blue sea, 

우리가 함께 뛰어놀던 저 푸른 바다로
that blue sea we enjoyed together 

괜한 걱정들은 잠시
For a moment, with the useless worries

내려놓은 채로 잠시
put to rest, for a moment, 

우리끼리 즐겨보자 함께 추억하는
let’s enjoy it together, the 

푸른 바다 한가운데 작은 섬
small island in the middle of the blue sea that we reminisce about
SUGA’s rap in IU’s “eight“ : Island, yeah, this is an island; a small island that we made for each other  … As each of us pass this eternity, we’re sure to meet again on this island

💞 비록 지금은 멀어졌어도
For even if we’ve had to grow apart, 

우리 마음만은 똑같잖아
our hearts are still the same 

내 곁에 네가 없어도 yeah
Even if you’re not by my side, yeah 

네 곁에 내가 없어도 yeah
Even if I’m not by your side, yeah 

우린 함께인 걸 다 알잖아
We know that we’re together 💞

💜

아침 들풀처럼 일어나
Waking like the wild grass in the morning, 

거울처럼 난 너를 확인
I check on you like a mirror

눈꼽 대신 너만 묻었다 잔뜩
Instead of sleep stuck in my eyes, I’ve only got heaps of you on me 

또 무겁다 멍 많은 무르팍이
It’s heavy again, my much bruised knee 

거릴 거닐며 생각해 이 별이
As I stroll through the streets, I think about 

허락해 주는 우리의 거리
these streets of ours that this star has allowed for us
이 별 is ‘star’, but 이별 is ‘to part’, and 거리 can mean ‘street’ but also ‘distance’. So another interpretation of the above two lines would be “I think about the distance between us allowed by our farewell”.

Oh can I be your Bibilly Hills 
This is not ‘Beverly Hills’ spelt wrong, though it plays with that idea. 비빌 언덕 (‘Bi-bil Eon-deok’) literally means ‘a hill to rub yourself against’, and describes something or someone you can confidently rely on – especially when you’re pursuing a particular goal. RM of course often speaks of BTS and ARMY being each other’s 의지, ‘will’ or ‘resting place’. In a group hangout recorded for FESTA 2019, RM in fact mentions the need for a 비빌 언덕 and a little later at 30:26, SUGA makes the joke that he needs a “Bibils Hills”. Origin story?

Like you did the same to me

(Baby)

너무 빠른 건 조금 위험해
If it’s too quick, it’s a little dangerous 

너무 느린 건 조금 지루해
If it’s too slow, it’s a little boring 

너무 빠르지도 않게
Without going too fast, 

또는 느리지도 않게
or going too slow, 

우리의 속도에 맞춰 가보자고
let’s try matching our speeds
Jungkook’s ‘Still With You’: “Though our footsteps may be out of step, / I want to walk this path with you” 
SUGA’s ending ment for Kkul FM 06.13 on 6th June, where he had Jungkook as the featured guest and played ‘Still With You’ to end:
“It’s said that the most difficult thing in the world is to gain someone’s heart. I believe that while it is hard to gain it, it is also difficult to give someone your own heart. This is the kind of night in which I’m thankful to ARMYs for giving us your unchanging hearts. Though our footsteps may not always match, it would be good if we could continue to walk together, drawing a lovely purple light, as we sometimes speed up, and sometimes pause for one another. I, too, will hold more responsibility and become a person that makes good music, so that I can also walk beside you all, whether it is next to you or behind you.”

이건 꽤나 긴 즐거운 롤러코스터
This is quite a long and enjoyable rollercoaster 

💞

💜

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