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I am trying to understand the phrase 「想像をはるかに上回る」.

Here is the context:

There is an article / post whose contents are below.

> 私には夢があります。ずっと前から大切に持ち続けてきた夢なのです。
>
> several lines later……
>
> 私も蝿に生まれたかったです！

In response to this, someone replied:

> 想像をはるかに上回る願望…笑

According to
[thesaurus.weblio.jp](http://thesaurus.weblio.jp/content/%E4%BA%88%E6%83%B3%E3%82%92%E3%81%AF%E3%82%8B%E3%81%8B%E3%81%AB%E4%B8%8A%E5%9B%9E%E3%82%8B),
among the synonyms for a similar phrase, 「予想をはるかに上回る」, is 「想像もつかない」. Looking
at this, one might guess that the whole reply could be translated as "a dream
that exceeds all imagination" or "a dream far beyond my imagination."

However, if this is correct, I am still not sure how that fits into the
context. It seems to me that there are still several possibilities.

  * "I did not see (imagine) that coming."

  * "I cannot imagine why you would dream such a thing."

  * "I cannot imagine having that dream come true and living life as a fly."
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translation
Meaning of the phrase 「想像をはるかに上回る」
This could be answered in a word -- "irony".

> [想像]{そうぞう}をはるかに[上回]{うわまわ}る[願望]{がんぼう}…[笑]{わら}

The phrase is not to be taken literally. The 「笑 (= lol)」 part at the end
should serve as a big hint. The speaker/author expects the listeners to laugh
at the statement.

One of your interpretations: "I did not see (imagine) that coming." would fit
right in. (The other two sound kinda too "serious" IMHO even though those are
what is actually meant by the speaker.)
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2016-01-05T02:09:10.463
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On top of three alternatives you proposed, I would put the last Japanese lines
you quoted into the following dialogue, as just one of variations:

A. I have a dream, the dream that I have cherished long, long time. I wish I
had been born a fly.

B. It's a wish far beyond my imagination! (laughter).
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2016-01-05T08:51:41.117
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"Your wishes/desires are beyond what anyone would imagine, lol"

...is my interpretation.

Or to put in another way "I can't imagine wanting to be a fly, lol"

想像 (imaginations) はるかに上回る (far exceed) 願望 (wish/desire) 笑 (lol)

The only part in the response that refers to the original context is the 願望
(of the original writer). Everything else corresponds to the responding
person's opinion.
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