苏轼 《题西林壁》- Poem Translation

Original Poem
《题西林壁》 - 苏轼
横看成岭侧成峰，
远近高低各不同。
不识庐山真面目，
只缘身在此山中。

Writing for Xilin Temple's Wall / Translated by LY Lee
Ridges in front and peaks to the side,
Mountains in different shapes far and wide.
Of Lushan's true facade one can never know,
If one stays within the mountains so.

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I'm sure the phrase "庐山真面目" is a very familiar one to you. It means "true colors" - when one says "你的庐山真面目", it literally means "your true colors". Having used and heard this phrase throughout my life, I've never thought of where it came from, until I saw the above poem.

If you're interested, you can read the English translation of what the poem means here. It explains why the phrase "庐山真面目" can mean "true colors". (Btw, as my teacher pointed out, this poem is NOT 唐诗 but 宋诗. A super simple difference between the two: 唐诗 is more romantic, but 宋诗 is more realistic, style-wise.)

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Other versions:

Written on the Wall at West Forest Temple / Translated by Burton Watson (link)
From the side, a whole range; from the end, a single peak:
Far, near, high, low, no two parts alike.
Why can’t I tell the true shape of Lu-shan?
Because I myself am in the mountain.


Written on the Wall at West Forest Temple / Translated by 许渊冲 (link)
It’s a range viewed in face and peaks viewed from the side,
Assuming different shapes viewed from far and wide.
Of Mountain Lu we cannot make out the true face,
For we are lost in the heart of the very place.


Written on the Wall of Xilin Temple / Translated by 黃宏發 (link)
A range in panorama, peaks if viewed from the side;
Far, near, low, and high, these summits differ wide.
The true face of Mount Lushan, O ‘tis so hard to tell,
Because this very mountain, has had me right inside.

《叹云兮》 鞠婧祎, 《芸汐传》 片尾曲 - Lyrics Translation

A lyrics translation of the drama "Legend of Yun Xi" ending theme.

歌曲原唱: 鞠婧祎 | 作曲: SHIMA | 作词: 郭德紫毅
Artist: Ju Jingyi | Composer: SHIMA | Lyrics: Guo De Zi Yi
Translated by: LY Lee

《叹云兮》	"Sigh"
若这个世界凋谢 我会守在你身边 用沉默坚决 对抗万语千言 倘若这世间 一切都在无情的崩裂 我会用手中的线为你缝原	If this world withers I will stay by your side With determined silence Opposing all that's been said And if this world Is ruthlessly falling apart I will use the thread in my hand and sew it whole again for you
陪你看日升月潜 陪你看沧海变迁 陪你一字又一言谱下回忆的诗篇 陪你将情节改写 陪你将八荒走遍 只因你读得懂我而你注定是我的心头血	Watching the changing of the suns and moons with you Watching the world pass by with you Composing every moment spent with you into a poem in my memory Rewriting the story with you Journeying everywhere with you Just because you understand me and you are destined to be my most beloved
这是缘 亦是命中最美的相见 别恨天 笑容更适合你的脸 再一遍 记起从前的一滴一点 别怨我不在身边 记住我会在你的心里面	Not only is this destiny But also the most wonderful encounter in our lives Hate not the heavens For a smile suits you more Once again Recall each and every moment spent together Resent me not for not being by your side And remember that I will be in your heart instead
当我们命运重叠 恍然大悟才发现 原来这世间 完美可以残缺 时间不停歇 仿佛落叶飞花般无解 而你在这里就温柔了一切	When our fates overlapped I suddenly realise That in this world There can be flaws in perfection Time never stops Baffling like the falling of leaves and flowers But your presence just mitigates everything
陪你看梅海的月 陪你踱天宁的街 陪你把我的所念写成最后的药笺 陪你过的那些年 终究会化作永远 记得我不曾后退在你心上陪你每个黑夜	Watching the moon at Mei Hai with you Strolling the streets of Tian Ning with you Writing my thoughts into a final cure together with you All those years spent with you Will eventually turn into eternity Remember that I have never backed away, accompanying you in your heart, every night
唇齿间 不舍的是对你的留恋 叹离别 总是在该圆满之前 我的愿 并非执手相看泪满眼 而是你一往无前 拾起曾因我而有的笑脸	In the kiss Is my reluctance to let go of my longing for you Sighing that We always have to part before things can end happily My wish Is not to hold hands and look at each other tearfully But for you to press forward And get back the smiling face you used to have because of me
若故事重演 我想我依然会用我的一切 换明天就算我不在里面 可你会明白我对你的永世不变	If we can start over again I think I will still use my everything to trade for a tomorrow Where even if I am not there You will still know of my unchanging feelings for you
这是缘 亦是命中最美的相见 别恨天 笑容更适合你的脸 再一遍 记起从前的一滴一点 别怨我不在身边 记住我会在你的心里面 我会在你心间 做你心头血	Not only is this destiny But also the most wonderful encounter in our lives Hate not the heavens For a smile suits you more Once again Recall each and every moment spent together Resent me not for not being by your side And remember that I will be in your heart instead I will be your most beloved Right here in your heart

朱自清 《荷塘月色》 - English Translation

Here's a translation of 朱自清's 《荷塘月色》

May it be useful for those who need it!



朱自清 《荷塘月色》
The Moonlit Lotus Pond / Translated by LY Lee

     这几天心里颇不宁静。今晚在院子里坐着乘凉，忽然想起日日走过的荷塘，在这满月的光里，总该另有一番样子吧。月亮渐渐地升高了，墙外马路上孩子们的欢笑，已经听不见了；妻在屋里拍着闰儿，迷迷糊糊地哼着眠歌。我悄悄地披了大衫，带上门出去。

     I feel restless these days. As I sit here in the yard, resting, I suddenly thought of the lotus pond that I walk past every day. How would it look like under this full moon? Quite different from its daytime appearance, I suppose. With the ascent of the moon, the laughter of the children on the road outside can no longer be heard. What comes to my ears is the sleepy voice of my wife, humming a lullaby, patting my son, Run, to sleep. Quietly putting on an overcoat, I stepped out.

     沿着荷塘，是一条曲折的小煤屑路。这是一条幽僻的路；白天也少人走，夜晚更加寂寞。荷塘四面，长着许多树，蓊蓊郁郁的。路的一旁，是些杨柳，和一些不知道名字的树。没有月光的晚上，这路上阴森森的，有些怕人。今晚却很好，虽然月光也还是淡淡的。

      Along the lotus pond is a winding, charcoal-paved path. Usually deserted, few people pass by during the day, much less at night. There are a lot of trees around the pond, lush and green, and beside the path are some willows, together with some trees that I cannot name. On moonless nights, the path appears dark and scary; but tonight, with the full moon, it is fine, even though the moonlight is rather faint.

     路上只我一个人，背着手踱着。这一片天地好像是我的；我也像超出了平常的自己，到了另一个世界里。我爱热闹，也爱冷静；爱群居，也爱独处。像今晚上，一个人在这苍茫的月下，什么都可以想，什么都可以不想，便觉是个自由的人。白天里一定要做的事，一定要说的话，现 在都可不理。这是独处的妙处，我且受用这无边的荷香月色好了。

     With hands clasped behind my back, I walk along the path, alone. It is as if I've transcended my normal self and stepped into another world - and this world is mine, all mine. Excitement and quietness, crowds and solitude - I love them all. And tonight, alone under this vast moon, I can think about anything, or nothing at all, my will, my choice, I am free. The obligations I have during the day, the duties of my life, I can cast them all away, and just enjoy this beautiful moonlit lotus scenery to my heart's content. This, is the wonderful thing about solitude.

     曲曲折折的荷塘上面，弥望的是田田⑸的叶子。叶子出水很高，像亭亭的舞女的裙。层层的叶子中间，零星地点缀着些白花，有袅娜地开着的，有羞涩地打着朵儿的；正如一粒粒的明珠，又如碧天里的星星，又如刚出浴的美人。微风过处，送来缕缕清香，仿佛远处高楼上渺茫的歌声似的。这时候叶子与花也有一丝的颤动，像闪电般，霎时传过荷塘的那边去了。叶子本是肩并肩密密地挨着，这便宛然有了一道凝碧的波痕。叶子底下是脉脉的流水，遮住了，不能见一些颜色；而叶子却更见风致了。

     The winding pond is covered with lotus leaves that rise above the water like dancers' skirts. White flowers are scattered among them, some beautifully blooming, some shyly budding, much like pearls, or stars, or beauties fresh from their baths. The fragrance brought forth by the gentle wind is like the music from a distant tower, faint and indistinct. With the wind, the flowers and leaves also ripple across the pond, fast like lightning, much like a green wave made up of crowded lotus leaves. Even though the color of the water, blanketed by the leaves, cannot be seen, not even a peek, the undercurrents do give the leaves a grace that cannot be denied.

     月光如流水一般，静静地泻在这一片叶子和花上。薄薄的青雾浮起在荷塘里。叶子和花仿佛在牛乳中洗过一样；又像笼着轻纱的梦。虽然是满月，天上却有一层淡淡的云，所以不能朗照；但我以为这恰是到了好处——酣眠固不可少，小睡也别有风味的。月光是隔了树照过来的，高处丛生的灌木，落下参差的斑驳的黑影，峭楞楞如鬼一般；弯弯的杨柳的稀疏的倩影，却又像是画在荷叶上。塘中的月色并不均匀；但光与影有着和谐的旋律，如梵婀玲上奏着的名曲。

     The flowers and leaves, under the liquid light of the moon and the thin fog from the pond, look fresh from a milk bath, yet at the same time soft and sheer like a gauze-draped dream. Even though the brilliant light of the full moon is dimmed by the wispy clouds in the sky, I feel it is rather fine, much like how a nap cannot replace a good night's sleep, but still serves its purpose in its own charming way. Shadows cast by the foliage filtered moonlight look like spectres in the night, a contrast to the graceful shades of the willowy willows, which are like paintings on the lotus leaves. The moonlight upon the pond is not evenly distributed, and this light and shadows medley is harmonious like a famous melody played on a violin.

     荷塘的四面，远远近近，高高低低都是树，而杨柳最多。这些树将一片荷塘重重围住；只在小路一旁，漏着几段空隙，像是特为月光留下的。树色一例是阴阴的，乍看像一团烟雾；但杨柳的丰姿，便在烟雾里也辨得出。树梢上隐隐约约的是一带远山，只有些大意罢了。树缝里也漏着一两点路灯光，没精打采的，是渴睡人的眼。这时候最热闹的，要数树上的蝉声与水里的蛙声；但热闹是它们的，我什么也没有。

     Around the lotus pond, near and far, high and low, are trees, with the willows being the vast majority. The whole lotus pond is surrounded by them, with only a few gaps beside the path, as if specially reserved for the moonlight. Dark like smog are the trees, but the grace of the willows is still distinguishable from it all. Vaguely, just vaguely visible above the treetops are the silhouettes of distant mountains, and the couple of street lights seen through the trees are like lethargic, sleepy eyes. Only the cicadas and frogs are full of life at this moment, and only them; not I.

     忽然想起采莲的事情来了。采莲是江南的旧俗，似乎很早就有，而六朝时为盛；从诗歌里可以约略知道。采莲的是少年的女子，她们是荡着小船，唱着艳歌去的。采莲人不用说很多，还有看采莲的人。那是一个热闹的季节，也是一个风流的季节。梁元帝《采莲赋》里说得好：

     I suddenly thought of lotus seed harvesting. It is an old Jiangnan tradition from long ago, and, according to existing poems and songs, it seemed to be very popular during the Six Dynasties. Young ladies would harvest lotus seeds in small boats, singing away, along with many spectators. It was a lively season, and quite the frolicky one, too. In his "Ode to Lotus Seed Picking", Emperor Yuan of the Liang Dynasty described it well:

     于是妖童媛女，荡舟心许；鷁首徐回，兼传羽杯；棹将移而藻挂，船欲动而萍开。尔其纤腰束素，迁延顾步；夏始春余，叶嫩花初，恐沾裳而浅笑，畏倾船而敛裾。

     "And so the handsome lad and the sweet maiden, rowed their boats and pledged their love, With cups of wine while their boats drifted, With algae on the paddling oars as duckweeds parted for the moving boats. The graceful maiden with her slender waist, though, delays her progress with her reluctance to part. The end of Spring marks Summer's beginning with tender leaves and flowers ablooming. She smiled as she played with the water, yet feared the wetting of her dress, and fearing too, the tilting of the boat, she tucked in her dress."

     可见当时嬉游的光景了。这真是有趣的事，可惜我们现 在早已无福消受了。
于是又记起，《西洲曲》里的句子：

     That lively scene is not hard to imagine. What an interesting event. It's a pity we can no longer participate and enjoy it. Which brings to mind those lines in the "Ballad of Xizhou":

     采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头；低头弄莲子，莲子清如水。

     "Gathering lotus seeds in the fall,
     tall as a man are the South Pond's flowers.
     Looking down at the seeds gathered,
     fresh and green as the South Pond's waters."

     今晚若有采莲人，这儿的莲花也算得“过人头”了；只不见一些流水的影子，是不行的。这令我到底惦着江南了。——这样想着，猛一抬头，不觉已是自己的门前；轻轻地推门进去，什么声息也没有，妻已睡熟好久了。

     If ever there be lotus seed harvesters tonight, they would surely regard the flowers here to be as tall as a man. Not a glimpse of the waters can be seen, though - that is the only thing that is missing. All this reminiscing is really making me miss Jiangnan. Coming out of my reverie, I look up abruptly only to find myself at my doorstep. As I gently open the door and enter the house, silence greets me. My wife has long since fallen asleep.

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references
1) https://wk.baidu.com/view/a907686b0b1c59eef8c7b436?pcf=2#4
2) http://blog.chinadaily.com.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2442694&do=blog&id=36020&cid=102911
3) https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/鹢首徐回，兼传羽杯?adapt=1
4) http://m.slkj.org/c/25012.html