因果 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: MC Ciao

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the profound concept of Karma through MC Ciao's "因果", a song that intertwines traditional Chinese wisdom with modern-day dilemmas. Delve into the lyrical exploration of cause and effect, and discover how personal choices shape one's destiny. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn about Chinese culture while contemplating universal moral questions.

[English]

Lord bless me with mountains of gold and silver ahead.

low tyahhn bow yoh jin shahn yin shahn qyahhn lu yoh

Lord got my back – whole road paved in gold n silver.

Lord whispers: stay out of the street wars and power games.

low tyahhn jyaow swaw bye gwan jyang hoo long hoo doh

Lord whispers: stay out of the street wars and power games.

Lord reminds me: never lose my kindness in this life.

low tyahhn ding joo juh bay dzuh woh shan boo dyo

Lord reminds me: never lose my kindness in this life.

Lord fears the payback that comes after everything seems settled.

low tyahhn jyo pah san shr liu lay dzong dah chyoh

Lord fears the payback that comes after everything seems settled.

Demons and monsters always show up after you’ve had some success.

chir may wahng lyahng dzong choo shyen dzye chyoh show ho

Demons and monsters always show up after you’ve had some success.

Lord done gave me the stick to clap all these rats.

low tyahhn rahng woh yee gwun chan choo nyeh chir lay

Lord done gave me the stick to clap all these rats.

Then I swing again — this time, with power to break down their walls.

dee urr gwun foo mwaw woh dah chwahn dway jya low

Then I swing again — this time, with power to break down their walls.

Karma.

yin gwaw

Karma.

Karma.

yin gwaw

Karma.

Lord tells me to drop the blade — but that’s his karma.

low tyahhn rahng fahng shyah too daow dan juh shih tah duh

Lord tells me to drop the blade — but that’s his karma.

Karma.

yin gwaw

Karma.

Karma.

yin gwaw

Karma.

Should I really lay down the weapon?

guy boo guy fahng shyah too daow

Should I really lay down the weapon?

If I do,

roo gwaw fahng

If I do,

there’s always a hungry ghost lurking, ready to strike.

jyaow lwaw chyen foo uh gway fun fun jong yee bahng

there’s always a hungry ghost lurking, ready to strike.

When the dark thoughts drown out the good, you stuck restless, no chills.

sheen jong uh nyen chaow gwaw shan duh hwah may fah peeng

When the dark thoughts drown out the good, you stuck restless, no chills.

I must pay my dues.

yaow hwahn jye

I must pay my dues.

When war comes, I stand firm — Not like the others.

bing lye jyang dahng yin way woh shih guh nye fay tyen

When war comes, I stand firm — Not like the others.

On my wrist,

show wahn shahng

On my wrist,

the Five Gods of Wealth and the Guardians — blocking everything.

woo loo tsye shun shyoo kong tsahng dahng yee chyeh

the Five Gods of Wealth and the Guardians — blocking everything.

Waves crash over the sea,

hye myen gwah dah lahng

Waves crash over the sea,

when da smoke clear you wanna settle that beef?

yaow boo yow chyoh ho swahn jahng

when da smoke clear you wanna settle that beef?

gotta keep balance between light and dark.

woh shyoo yow peeng hung yin yahng

gotta keep balance between light and dark.

Understand this karma and debt.

kan dong juh yin gwaw yeh jahng

Understand this karma and debt.

The rules of this world

shir jye shahng tyaow tyaow kwahng kwahng

The rules of this world

are like keeping score in a card game.

jo hwaw shyahng dah pye jee jahng

are like keeping score in a card game.

Sooner or later, your turn will come.

chir zaow hway daow nee toh shahng

Sooner or later, your turn will come.

Who doesn’t want a comeback win?

shway boo shyahng dah fan shun jahng

Who doesn’t want a comeback win?

Some people play the victim.

dzong yo ren dzye myeh juh tsahn

Some people play the victim.

Some people use your kindness.

dzong yo ren shyahng lee yohng shan

Some people use your kindness.

But Heaven is always watching.

shoo boo jir tyen dzye kahn

But Heaven is always watching.

Plant bad seeds, and pay the price.

hwaw gun jaow shahng men tsahn

Plant bad seeds, and pay the price.

You treated love like a joke.

nee bah eye nah lye naow juh wahn

You treated love like a joke.

You used love like a weapon.

nee bah eye dahng dzaww dzuh dahn

You used love like a weapon.

But Heaven is always watching.

shoo boo jir tyen kahn

But Heaven is always watching.

Clap your hands — you’re done.

pye pye show wahn dahn

Clap your hands — you’re done.

[Chinese]

老天保佑金山銀山前路有

low tyahhn bow yoh jin shahn yin shahn qyahhn lu yoh

Lord got my back – whole road paved in gold n silver

老天教說別管江湖龍虎門

low tyahhn jyaow swaw bye gwan jyang hoo long hoo doh

Lord whispers: stay out of the street wars and power games.

老天叮囑這輩子我善不丟

low tyahhn ding joo juh bay dzuh woh shan boo dyo

Lord reminds me: never lose my kindness in this life.

老天就怕三十六雷總打秋

low tyahhn jyo pah san shr liu lay dzong dah chyoh

Lord fears the payback that comes after everything seems settled.

魑魅魍魎總出現在秋收後

chir may wahng lyahng dzong choo shyen dzye chyoh show ho

Demons and monsters always show up after you’ve had some success.

老天讓我一棍剷除孽畜類

low tyahhn rahng woh yee gwun chan choo nyeh chir lay

Lord done gave me the stick to clap all these rats

第二棍附魔我打穿對家樓

dee urr gwun foo mwaw woh dah chwahn dway jya low

Then I swing again — this time, with power to break down their walls.

因果

yin gwaw

Karma.

因果

yin gwaw

Karma.

老天讓放下屠刀但這是他的

low tyahhn rahng fahng shyah too daow dan juh shih tah duh

Lord tells me to drop the blade — but that’s his karma.

因果

yin gwaw

Karma.

因果

yin gwaw

Karma.

該不該放下屠刀

guy boo guy fahng shyah too daow

Should I really lay down the weapon?

如果放

roo gwaw fahng

If I do,

角落潛伏餓鬼分分鐘一棒

jyaow lwaw chyen foo uh gway fun fun jong yee bahng

there’s always a hungry ghost lurking, ready to strike.

心中惡念超過善的話沒法平

sheen jong uh nyen chaow gwaw shan duh hwah may fah peeng

When the dark thoughts drown out the good, you stuck restless, no chills

要還債

yaow hwahn jye

I must pay my dues.

兵來將擋因為我是個奈非天

bing lye jyang dahng yin way woh shih guh nye fay tyen

When war comes, I stand firm — Not like the others

手腕上

show wahn shahng

On my wrist,

五路財神虛空藏擋一切

woo loo tsye shun shyoo kong tsahng dahng yee chyeh

the Five Gods of Wealth and the Guardians — blocking everything.

海面颳大浪

hye myen gwah dah lahng

Waves crash over the sea,

要不要秋後算帳

yaow boo yow chyoh ho swahn jahng

when da smoke clear you wanna settle that beef?

我需要平衡陰陽

woh shyoo yow peeng hung yin yahng

gotta to keep balance between light and dark.

看懂這因果業障

kan dong juh yin gwaw yeh jahng

Understand this karma and debt.

世界上條條框框

shir jye shahng tyaow tyaow kwahng kwahng

The rules of this world

就好像打牌記帳

jo hwaw shyahng dah pye jee jahng

are like keeping score in a card game.

遲早會到你頭上

chir zaow hway daow nee toh shahng

Sooner or later, your turn will come.

誰不想打翻身仗

shway boo shyahng dah fan shun jahng

Who doesn’t want a comeback win?

總有人在賣著慘

dzong yo ren dzye myeh juh tsahn

Some people play the victim.

總有人想利用善

dzong yo ren shyahng lee yohng shan

Some people use your kindness.

殊不知 天在看

shoo boo jir tyen dzye kahn

But Heaven is always watching.

禍根找上門慘

hwaw gun jaow shahng men tsahn

Plant bad seeds, and pay the price.

你把愛拿來鬧著玩

nee bah eye nah lye naow juh wahn

You treated love like a joke.

你把愛當作子彈

nee bah eye dahng dzaww dzuh dahn

You used love like a weapon.

殊不知 天在看

shoo boo jir tyen kahn

But Heaven is always watching.

拍拍手 完蛋

pye pye show wahn dahn

Clap your hands — you’re done.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
因果 /yin gwaw/ B2	noun - karma; cause and effect
老天 /low tyahhn/ B1	noun - heaven; God
江湖 /jyang hoo/ B2	noun - the world; society
善 /shan/ A2	noun - kindness; goodness
魑魅魍魎 /chir may wahng lyahng/ C1	noun - demons and monsters
屠刀 /too daow/ B1	noun - slaughter knife; weapon
餓鬼 /uh gway/ B2	noun - hungry ghost
平衡 /peeng hung/ A2	noun - balance
陰陽 /yin yahng/ B2	noun - yin and yang
業障 /yeh jahng/ C1	noun - karma obstacle
條條框框 /tyaow tyaow kwahng kwahng/ B2	noun - rules and regulations
翻身 /fan shun/ B1	verb - to turn over; to make a comeback
利用 /lee yohng/ A2	verb - to use; to take advantage of
禍根 /hwaw gun/ C1	noun - source of disaster
完蛋 /wahn dahn/ A2	verb - to be finished; to be doomed

Key Grammar Structures

• 老天保佑金山銀山前路有 (low tyahhn bow yoh jin shahn yin shahn qyahhn lu yoh)

  ➔ Use of '保佑' (bǎo yòu) - to bless/protect, indicating a request for divine favor.

  ➔ The sentence expresses a wish for divine protection and prosperity on the path ahead. The structure is a simple declarative sentence with a verb expressing blessing. The phrase '前路有' (qían lù yǒu) means 'there is [something good] on the road ahead'.

• 老天教說別管江湖龍虎門 (low tyahhn jyaow swaw bye gwan jyang hoo long hoo doh)

  ➔ Use of '教說' (jiāo shuō) - to teach/tell someone to do something, indicating a divine instruction.

  ➔ This line shows a divine warning to stay away from the dangerous world of gangs and power struggles ('江湖龍虎門'). '別管' (bié guǎn) means 'don't interfere with' or 'don't get involved in'.

• 老天叮囑這輩子我善不丟 (low tyahhn ding joo juh bay dzuh woh shan boo dyo)

  ➔ Use of '叮囑' (dīng zhǔ) - to earnestly remind/urge someone, emphasizing the importance of the instruction.

  ➔ The Lord urges the speaker to maintain their kindness throughout their life ('善不丟'). '善' (shàn) means 'kindness' or 'goodness', and '不丟' (bù diū) means 'not to lose'.

• 老天就怕三十六雷總打秋 (low tyahhn jyo pah san shr liu lay dzong dah chyoh)

  ➔ Use of idiom '三十六雷' (san shi liu lei) - meaning 'thirty-six types of punishment', referring to potential retribution.

  ➔ The Lord fears that after a period of seeming peace ('秋' - autumn, symbolizing harvest and settlement), retribution will come in various forms. '打秋' (dǎ qiū) is a colloquial expression meaning 'to punish'.