‘Sham Courage’ by Elva Hsiao (Xiao Yaxuan)

“Sham Courage” (aka “Can’t Force Love”) is included in Taiwanese singer Elva Hsiao‘s (Xiao Yaxuan) 2011 album I’m Ready.

Music Video:

Composer: Rao Shanqiang
Lyrics: Yao Ruolong
Singer: Elva Hsiao/Xiao Yaxuan

Lyrics (Original Chinese, Pinyin Romanization, and English Translation):

如果听实话 只会更伤
rú guǒ tīng shí huá zhǐ huì gèng shāng
If I heard the truth, it would hurt even more

宁愿将你的谎话 当作善良
níng yuàn jiāng nǐ de huǎng huà dāng zuò shàn liáng
I’d rather treat your lies as kindness.

反正结局是这样 晓得细节又怎样
fǎn zhèng jié jú shì zhè yàng xiǎo dé xì jié yòu zěn yàng
Either way the end is like this, how would knowing the details matter?

 
想好聚好散 完美伪装
xiǎng hǎo jù hǎo sàn wán mèi wěi zhuàng
I wanted us to part as happily as we met, faking it perfectly

可是被你的拥抱 击溃眼眶
kě shì bèi nǐ de yōng bào jī kuì yǎn kuāng
but your embrace broke the rim of my eye [made me cry]

不愿成全 不想原谅 但自尊太好强
bú yuàn chéng quán bù xiǎng yuán liàng dàn zī jùn tài hào qiáng
I didn’t want to help you accomplish your aim, nor did I want to forgive you, but my self-esteem is too proud to surrender

最怕旧情人 像怜悯 的眼光
zuì pà jiù qíng rén xiàng lián mǐn de yǎn guāng
What I fear most is the look in the eyes of an ex-boyfriend as if he were pitying me

 
CHORUS:

爱的太逞强 无论多眷恋 也不祈求不勉强
ài de tài chěng qiáng wú lùn duō juàn liàn yě bù qǐ qiú bù miǎn qiáng
I always loved with too much sham courage. No matter how much I missed you, I didn’t plead or force you [to stay]

不爱我的我不想 讲得洒脱却感伤
bú ài wǒ de wǒ bù xiǎng jiǎng de sǎ tuō què gǎn shāng
“I don’t miss those who don’t love me”, I say nonchalantly hiding my sadness

爱的太逞强 怎么你竟让我不能忘 不能放
ài de tài chěng qiáng zěn me nǐ jìng ràng wǒ bù néng wàng bù néng fàng
I always loved with too much sham courage, but how come you won’t let me forget you and let you go?

痛 还想
tòng hái xiǎng
It hurts, but I’m still thinking [about you]

 
戴上了墨镜 隔绝目光
dài shàng le mò jìng gé jué mù guāng
I put on my sunglasses, to block the way people look at me

然后戴上了耳机 紧贴悲伤
rán hòu dài shàng le ěr jī jǐn tiē bēi shāng
Then I put on the earphones, to stick close to my sorrow

到人群里去流浪 也不一个人在家
dào rén qún lǐ qù liú làng yě bú yí gè rén zài jiā
I’d rather go wander in the crowds than stay home alone

 
越苦的情歌 越要敢唱
yuè kǔ de qíng gē yuè yào gǎn chàng
The sadder the love songs, the more I must sing them

回忆最满的地方 坐一晚上
huí yì zuì mǎn de dì fāng zuò yī wǎn shàng
The places with the most memories, is where I must sit an entire night

不要埋藏 才能释放 虽然痛会很长
bú yào mái cáng cái néng shì fàng suī rán tòng huì hěn cháng
Only by not burying it can it be released, though the pain will linger a long time

爱不会留下 太容易 疗的伤
ài bú huì liú xià tài róng yì liáo de shāng
Love will not leave behind a pain too easily healed

 
CHORUS x2