(translated in 2017)

One of my favorite songs in the BTS discography is SUGA’s “So Far Away,” a self-reflective ode to the pain of his past and the redemptive power of perseverance in the face of hardship. What makes this song especially fascinating is SUGA’s implicit invocation of the story of Job—known as Ayyūb in Islam, Iyov in Judaism, and Job in Christianity—as a parallel to his own struggles and eventual deliverance. Although SUGA has stated he has no religious affiliation (while also admitting that he prays), his lyrics resonate deeply with the themes found in Job’s narrative.

Job is a central figure across major world religions and is regarded as one of the most severely tested individuals in the Torah, Qur’an, and Bible. In Islam, Job is honored as a Nabi (prophet), a leader among “those who patiently endured.” In the Bible, my main reference as I cannot read Arabic or Hebrew, Job’s story is that of a man who endures years of suffering but ultimately perseveres to regain God’s favor and live a blessed life.

I have often reflected on why SUGA chose Job’s story as the inspiration for his song, even quoting directly from the Book of Job, with many other lines echoing its verses. My sense is that he was drawn to the profound lessons at the heart of Job’s tale: the courage to question, the impulse to protest, and the necessity of endurance.

At its core, the story of Job is not simply about faith, but about the human capacity to endure suffering, to persevere, and to overcome adversity on the path to one’s aspirations. SUGA’s use of Job is thus not a religious gesture, but a universal one: an affirmation that one need not belong to any faith tradition to find meaning in the journey from suffering to fulfillment.

Personally, I am an atheist, though I am well-versed in the Bible thanks to my beloved mother, a devout Methodist who never missed a single dawn prayer service in her life, the kind of parishioner John Wesley could only have dreamed of as he gazed out over the white sands of Savannah so long ago.

One last thought, knowing SUGA’s sly genius, I can’t help but think he delighted in quoting verses 20-22 from Chapter 8 of the Book of Job, especially in an album where he so unabashedly addresses his doubters and critics:

“Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

Don’t be shocked by the rawness of these lyrics. They reflect how he truly felt as an older teenager as he battled with his parents, struggled as an underground rapper in Daegu (a city in southeastern Korea), and worked as a food delivery worker.

Lyrics:

Verse 1:
It’s crap not knowing what you want in life.
I know I’m a loser for lacking
what everyone else has: an aspiration.
Still, society told me to walk
the same path, just get into college;
then everything would be fine.
What a fool I was to trust that.
The only thing keeping me alive is fear of death.
Someone pass me booze.
I’ll drink until I’m out.
Don’t stand in my way today.
Whatever, I don’t give a damn.
I know it’s self-indulgent
for a lazy bastard to drink,
but without alcohol,
I can’t face another day.
Everyone’s going places
except me.
Everyone’s going places
except me.
Everyone’s moving forward—
why am I the only one stuck?

Chorus:
So far away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?
Don’t fall away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?

Refrain:
Dream,
Let there be light, with me till the end. (Genesis)
Dream,
No matter who I am, let there be blessing. (John 9:1–11)
Dream,
Salvation after hardship. (Job)
Dream,
Humble beginnings, a prosperous future. (Job 8:7)

*The parentheses indicate the passages that inspired SUGA’s lyrics.

Verse 2:
You’re fucking right.
Fear of death is all that keeps me alive.
Can’t you see I still have no purpose?
Can’t you tell I’m empty because of it?
So why does everyone say, get it together?
What’s the point in venting?
I’m the only one hurt.
I dread opening my eyes
and breathing through another day.
I feel myself drifting from friends and family,
growing more restless every day.
I feel abandoned by the world,
and truly alone.
Sometimes I wish everything would vanish,
including me,
like a mirage.
I see myself tossed aside by the world,
falling farther from heaven.
I’m falling…

Chorus:
So far away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?
Don’t fall away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?

Refrain:
Dream,
Let there be light, with me till the end.
Dream,
No matter who I am, let there be blessing.
Dream,
Salvation after hardship.
Dream,
Humble beginnings, a prosperous future.

Chorus:
So far away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?
Don’t fall away
What if I had a dream?
What if I could fly?

Refrain:
Dream,
Let there be light, with me till the end.
Dream,
No matter who I am, let there be blessing.
Dream,
Salvation after hardship.
Dream,
Humble beginnings, a prosperous future.

Outro:
Dream,
Let there be light, with me till the end.
Dream,
No matter who I am, let there be blessing.
Dream,
Salvation after hardship.
Dream,
Humble beginnings, a prosperous future.