《七絕 – 描容》無求劍客
夕陽蓮步盡天邊,
淺笑輕顰見艷漣;
静倚欄杆烟水際,
餘暉萬彩儲心田。
Qi Jue: 28-Character Quatrain
"Countenance Painting"
-- by 無求劍客 'No Desire Swordsman'
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
Inching towards the sky-edge, sets the Sun e'ening;
She smiles gently at the ripples glistening.
Hazy sea: on the quiet railing we're leaning;
Engraved in my heart, myriad hues remaining!
A brief collection of my attempted English renditions of selected Chinese poems, both contemporary and classical. (Each original classical Chinese poem may be presented in both the traditional and simplified forms, followed by the English translation.) Comments and suggested amendments welcome. (But I may not have the time to respond to every comment.) I am a follower of Andrew W F Wong's excellent blog "Classical Chinese Poems in English".
Thursday, 10 July 2014
Monday, 7 July 2014
星河 東瀛倭寇亂乾坤 文革哀鴻百刦痕 The imperial Japanese savages
《七絕‧國難》夜月星河
東瀛倭寇亂乾坤,
文革哀鴻百刦痕;
為問神州多少恨,
廣場六四泣寃魂。
Qi Jue: 28-Character-Quatrain
"National Catastrophes"
-- by 夜月星河 'Night Moon Starry River'
-- Translated by Frank C Yue (on '7/7' 2014)
The imperial Japanese savages nearly over-ran our Motherland,
The 10-year Cultural Revolution left us a ravaged land.
O! How many grievous harms my country has been inflicted?
For the "6/4" Martyrs at the Square tears fall unrestricted!
東瀛倭寇亂乾坤,
文革哀鴻百刦痕;
為問神州多少恨,
廣場六四泣寃魂。
Qi Jue: 28-Character-Quatrain
"National Catastrophes"
-- by 夜月星河 'Night Moon Starry River'
-- Translated by Frank C Yue (on '7/7' 2014)
The imperial Japanese savages nearly over-ran our Motherland,
The 10-year Cultural Revolution left us a ravaged land.
O! How many grievous harms my country has been inflicted?
For the "6/4" Martyrs at the Square tears fall unrestricted!
納蘭性德 人生若只如初見 If life were only just like when we two
清·納蘭性德《木蘭花令·擬古決絕詞》
人生若只如初見,
何事秋風悲畫扇?
等閒變卻故人心,
卻道故人心易變。
何事秋風悲畫扇?
等閒變卻故人心,
卻道故人心易變。
驪山語罷清宵半,
淚雨零鈴終不怨。
何如薄倖錦衣郎,
比翼連枝當日願!
淚雨零鈴終不怨。
何如薄倖錦衣郎,
比翼連枝當日願!
TITLE: Nǐ Gǔ Jué Jué Cí
"Imitating an Old Final Farewell Song"
-- by Nàlán Xìngdé (1655~1685)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
If life were only just like when we two met the first time,
For the (forsaken) painted fan Autumn wind would not sigh!
The average one (somehow) became the heart of an old friend;
But it is easy to change – the heart of the old friend then.
After sweet whispers at Li Shan Palace, dawn was breaking;
No regrets – though carriage bells tinkling, like rain tears falling.
Now, Who’s that forgetful, ungrateful man in fine clothes dress’t?
Our vow was to grow old in a linked-branch, to fly abreast!
the following copied from the net:
<五千年來——最觸動心靈的10句詩詞...
1. 人生若只如初見,何事秋風悲畫扇?
如果人生的很多事,很多的境遇,很多人,都還如初見時的模樣該多好呀!
若只是初見,一切美好 都不會遺失。很多時候,初見,驚豔;驀然回首,卻已是物是人非,滄海桑田………
... <這篇《木蘭花令·擬古決絕詞》就是 納蘭性德 最出名的一首,而 “人生若只如初見,何事秋風悲畫扇” 更是流傳一時的佳句。
【簡注】
① 秋風悲畫扇:
此乃漢代 班婕妤 被棄的典故。 班婕妤 為漢成帝妃,被 趙飛燕 讒害,退居冷宮,寫有詩《怨歌行》,以秋扇為喻抒發被棄之怨情。 這裡是說本應當相親相愛,但卻成了今日的相離相棄。
② 驪山語罷:
《太真外傳》載,唐明皇 與 楊玉環 曾於七月七日夜,在驪山華清宮長生殿裡盟誓,願世世為夫 妻。 白居易《長恨歌》:“ 在天願作比翼鳥,在地願作連理枝。” 對此作了生動的描寫。
③ 淚雨零鈴:
安史亂起,明皇入蜀,無奈之下,於馬嵬坡賜死 楊玉環。唐明皇 此後途中聞雨聲、鈴聲便思 楊貴妃 而悲傷,遂作《雨霖鈴》曲以寄哀思。>
Sunday, 6 July 2014
鄭國江 香港我心中的故鄉 Hong Kong, my heart’s native city
陳
美
齡
‧
《
香
港
‧
香
港
》(1982)
翁 家 齊 曲 ‧ 鄭 國 江 詞
香 港 我 心 中 的 故 鄉
這 裡 讓 我 生 長
有 我 喜 歡 的 親 友 共 陽 光
路 上 人 在 跑 趕 呀 趕
幹 勁 令 我 欣 賞
這 裡 有 許 多 好 處 沒 法 講
說 一 聲 香 港 香 港
你 永 遠 是 尋 夢 鄉
香 港 香 港 你 那 色 調 難 忘
山 頂 看 小 島 水 裡 躺
處 處 換 上 新 裝
看 看 那 海 鷗 飛 過 自 由 港
海 邊 看 小 島 穿 晚 裝
處 處 耀 眼 生 光
這 個 市 區 的 吸 引 沒 法 擋
說 一 聲 香 港 香 港
載 有 我 童 年 夢 想
香 港 香 港 叫 我 不 易 遺 忘
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE4Rq07tQWg
"Hong Kong, Hong Kong!"
-- by Cheng Kwok-Kong
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
Hong Kong, my heart’s native city,
翁 家 齊 曲 ‧ 鄭 國 江 詞
香 港 我 心 中 的 故 鄉
這 裡 讓 我 生 長
有 我 喜 歡 的 親 友 共 陽 光
路 上 人 在 跑 趕 呀 趕
幹 勁 令 我 欣 賞
這 裡 有 許 多 好 處 沒 法 講
說 一 聲 香 港 香 港
你 永 遠 是 尋 夢 鄉
香 港 香 港 你 那 色 調 難 忘
山 頂 看 小 島 水 裡 躺
處 處 換 上 新 裝
看 看 那 海 鷗 飛 過 自 由 港
海 邊 看 小 島 穿 晚 裝
處 處 耀 眼 生 光
這 個 市 區 的 吸 引 沒 法 擋
說 一 聲 香 港 香 港
載 有 我 童 年 夢 想
香 港 香 港 叫 我 不 易 遺 忘
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE4Rq07tQWg
-- by Cheng Kwok-Kong
Hong Kong, my heart’s native city,
Where I grew
up then
With my
relatives and friends,
And the
golden Sun pretty!
The
passers-by literally running –
To and
fro hurrying –
Their diligence
much to my liking.
Too many
good points here worth mentioning!
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong –
I’ll say
this again
(And
again) –
The place
where I’ll ne’er dream in vain!
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong –
Your glamorous
hues so beguiling –
Atop the
Peak, I see the island in water lying,
Everywhere
new looks are found;
Look, the
sea-gulls a-flying o’er the Free Port fair.
At the
seaside, I watch the island her night dress bare;
Everywhere
glittering abound.
So
irresistible the attractions in areas urban!
Reflected
here, my childhood dreams, too.
Hong Kong,
Hong Kong –
It’s hard
for me to e’er forget you!
一老年人 刀刀狠勁刀刀快 So fierce and so powerful
《七絕 。快刀》一老年人
刀刀狠勁刀刀快,
步步追風步步攻 ;
十月多來文字弄,
江湖恩怨笑談中。
Qī Jué: 28-Character Quatrain:
"The Fast Broadsword"
-- by 一老年人 'A Man of Advanced Years'
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
So fierce and so powerful are the slashes all,
Each fast thrust then becomes faster and faster –
Chasing the wind, each step forward is an attack!
At ten-months-plus of Word-Playing, looking back –
All the favours and wrong doings, big and small,
In the Outlaws’ World meet in talks and laughter!
Note by Translator:
My hat off to 一老年人! 'A Man of Advanced Years' is of course the founding Grandmaster of the "Lightning-Fast Broadsword" style of martial arts. He has shown, time and again, that he is capable of writing different forms of beautiful classical Chinese ci's and poems within a matter of minutes! Also a prolific poet!
刀刀狠勁刀刀快,
步步追風步步攻 ;
十月多來文字弄,
江湖恩怨笑談中。
Qī Jué: 28-Character Quatrain:
"The Fast Broadsword"
-- by 一老年人 'A Man of Advanced Years'
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
So fierce and so powerful are the slashes all,
Each fast thrust then becomes faster and faster –
Chasing the wind, each step forward is an attack!
At ten-months-plus of Word-Playing, looking back –
All the favours and wrong doings, big and small,
In the Outlaws’ World meet in talks and laughter!
Note by Translator:
My hat off to 一老年人! 'A Man of Advanced Years' is of course the founding Grandmaster of the "Lightning-Fast Broadsword" style of martial arts. He has shown, time and again, that he is capable of writing different forms of beautiful classical Chinese ci's and poems within a matter of minutes! Also a prolific poet!
Saturday, 5 July 2014
李煜 春花秋月何時了 When will Spring flow'rs and Autumn Moon e'er end?
【虞美人】 南唐 • 李煜
春花秋月何時了,往事知多少。
小樓昨夜又東風,故國不堪回首月明中。
雕闌玉砌應猶在,只是朱顏改。
問君能有幾(許)多愁,恰似一江春水向東流。
<词中流露了不加掩饰的故国之思,据说是促使 宋太宗(趙光義)下令毒死李煜的原因之一。
那么,它等于是李煜的绝命词了。>
TUNE: YU MEI REN "Fair Lady Yu"
-- Li Yu (937-978)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
When will Spring flow'rs and Autumn
Moon e'er end?
Of past events how many were known
then?
Small attic was swept again by East Wind
last night;
I couldn't bear recalling my lost Kingdom
in clear moon-light!
Carved balustrades and jade ornaments
should still be there;
Changed only are the pink faces fair.
How much sorrows can one e'er have
unreleased?
Just like the ceaseless Spring river
rushing east!
《虞美人‧》
中平中仄平平仄(仄韻一),中仄平平仄(仄韻一)。
中平中仄仄平平(平韻一),中仄中平平仄仄平平(平韻一)。
中平中仄平平仄(仄韻二),中仄平平仄(仄韻二)。
中平中仄仄平平(平韻二),中仄中平平仄仄平平(平韻二)。
Friday, 4 July 2014
李煜 無言獨上西樓 月如鈎 Wordless, alone, to the West Tower
無言獨上西樓,
月如鈎。
寂寞梧桐深院
鎖清秋。
月如鈎。
寂寞梧桐深院
鎖清秋。
剪不斷,
理還亂,
是離愁。
別是一般滋味在心頭。
TUNE: XIANG JIAN HUAN
TITLE: AUTUMN PASSIONS
-- Li Yu (937-978)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue
Wordless, alone, to the West Tower I climb
the stair;
The Moon, like a curved sword, hangs
there.
Held captive in the deep courtyard and its
lonesome phoenix tree,
Is the cool, pure Autumn breeze.
Cut it, it doesn't sever;
Sort it, as entangled as ever --
It is a great sorrow to part,
Creating an entirely different feeling in my
heart!
"月如鈎":
譯者在這裡把 '鈎' 作 '吴钩',即 '彎刀' 解釋。
唐 • 李贺《南国》:
男儿何不带吴钩,收取关山五十州。
请君暂上凌烟阁,若个书生万户侯。
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