Tuesday 10 June 2014

劍客 draft rendition of 簾外雨潺潺,春意闌珊。

      【浪淘沙 • 懷舊】 南唐 • 李煜

                    簾外雨潺
                    春意闌
                    羅衾不耐五更
                    夢裡不知身是客,
                    一晌貪


                    獨自莫憑
                    無限江
                    别時容易見時
                    流水落花春去也,
                    天上人
 


it's not every month someone would present his/her 'n-years old' draft translation of a v famous ci or poem for open comments and discussions.   
so, thank you v much 無求劍客 for offering the draft, shown in italic below, for everyone's "target practice". hopefully, at the end of this interaction with others joining the fray, an "improved version" to your entire satisfaction will emerge.
(for starters, my comments with some suggested ideas are given below for your kind consideration.)
draft translation (in parts A and B for ease of reference):

(A)
Outside the bamboo blinds: ('bamboo' blinds not appropriate for Li's status)
Dripping rain,
Spring mood 

On the wane.
My quilt cannot resist 

The night chill,
In dreams, unaware  (身是客 not translated)
the kingdom over the hill. ('over the hill'
ambiguous, not exact.)
Only a fleeting glimpse of joy.
(this line appears somewhat disjointed)

(B)
Do not peer  ('Do not peer /Over the fence' not faithful translation for 憑欄)
Over the fence, (獨自
not translated)
Into realm unbound
My country hence.

Parting was easy
Re-uniting anon?
('anon' not usually used in such manner?)
Water flows and Flowers fade
Spring is already gone.
In Heaven? Or in the living world? 
(maybe better to rhyme the lines)


Suggested (A)
Outside the window blinds: dripping rain,
Spring mood on the wane.
My quilt cannot resist the night chill (again),
In dreams, unaware

I’m a captive here,
Only a fleeting moment of joy found!

My old Kingdom beyond the hills is shown;
O Ne’er lean on the railing alone,
The past realm unbound.

Suggested (B)
Easy was the parting,
Not so for re-uniting.

Flowers fade, waters flowing --
Spring is already gone like so,
In Heav’n and the living world below!


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