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these are the lyrics-

胃がもたれるような不快感    
Nightmareに目を覚ます

Should I treat 胃がもたれるような不快感 like a "floating" noun and translate this as-

Discomfort that feels like an upset stomach 
Because of a Nightmare, I wake up

Or is the 不快感 being personified and the translation should be-

Discomfort that feels like an upset stomach
Wakes up because of a nightmare

I tried to find examples of 目を覚ます being used for subjects other than humans but could not, so I feel like this second one is wrong.

If the first one is correct, can I translate it sort of like this to fix the "floating" noun issue?

My discomfort feels like an upset stomach

I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

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目を覚ます can figuratively take an inanimate subject in creative writing; for example we can find examples like 寂しさが目を覚ます, 閉じた傷が目を覚ます, 闇が目を覚ます and 月が目を覚ます.

That being said, unless there is clearly が after 不快感, I certainly interpret the first line as an independent "floating noun phrase". 不快感 doesn't have a dream, after all. The subject of 目を覚ます in this song should be implicit "I".

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  • Thank you so much, this line was giving me trouble for so long. Do you think I can translate the 不快感 line as "My discomfort feels like an upset stomach."? I don't mind how the current version sounds, but is this version also an option?
    – MastahxGraffiti
    Apr 15, 2021 at 4:20
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    @MastahxGraffiti How about "an uneasiness/discomfort that upsets/turns my stomach"?
    – A.Ellett
    Apr 15, 2021 at 5:08
  • Hello, thanks for your response. I think your translation works too, I was just wondering if the line could be rephrased in this specific case.
    – MastahxGraffiti
    Apr 15, 2021 at 5:29
  • @MastahxGraffiti The simplest approach should be "there is discomfort" or "I feel discomfort", but your translation seems okay to me, too.
    – naruto
    Apr 15, 2021 at 7:33

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