Saturday, October 12, 2019

《上邪》 小曲儿 - Lyrics Translation

《上邪》 is a song in the 《曲倾天下》 album, sang by 小曲儿 .


Background of the song:

【文案】
公元二零一二年,陕西西安考古又发现一墓葬,通过墓志铭可判断其为一位将军与一位宗室女子合葬墓,主墓室存放双人合葬棺椁,但合葬棺内却仅有一具男性尸骨。 意外的是,墓志铭上该宗室女子封号与史册记载的一位同时代的和亲公主封号一致。目前不知何故。
P.S. 西安合葬墓是真的,但是上邪这个故事文案是恨醉姑娘编的。

【Note】
In 2012, archaeologists found a tomb of a couple - a general and a lady belonging to the imperial family, based on the inscriptions. There was a coffin for two in the main burial chamber, but only a male skeleton was found inside. Interestingly, the title of the lady inscribed on the tomb was the same as a princess who had a diplomatic marriage during the same period, for reasons as yet unknown.
P.S. The existence of the tomb is real, but the story behind it... is made up by the lyricist.
(Reference: https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1238276492332451979.html)


歌曲原唱: 小曲儿 | 作曲: 小曲儿 | 作词: 恨醉
Artist: Xiao Qu'er | Composer: Xiao Qu'er | Lyrics: Hen Zui
Translated by: LY Lee

《上邪》 "The Pledge"
你嫁衣如火灼伤了天涯
从此残阳烙我心上如朱砂
都说你眼中开倾世桃花
却如何一夕桃花雨下

Your red wedding dress is like a fire that seared the sky’s horizon
From that moment that image is forever imprinted on my heart, never to be forgotten
It is said that gorgeous as peach flowers are your eyes
Yet why did tears fall from them like rain overnight?

问谁能借我回眸一眼
去逆流回溯遥迢的流年
循着你为我轻咏的《上邪》
再去见你一面

Can anyone lend me a glance,
To go against the flow of time, back to the distant past
Pursuing "The Pledge" which you softly sang for me
Just to see you once again

在那远去的旧年
我笑你轻许了姻缘

In those years, long gone
I laughed at your frivolous vow to be my bride

是你用尽一生吟咏《上邪》
而我转身轻负你如花美眷
那一年的长安飞花漫天
我听见塞外春风泣血

You sang "The Pledge" with all that you had
Yet I dismissed your dream with a turn of my back
As fluttering flowers filled the skies of Chang An that year
News of turmoil and war came from the frontiers

轻嗅风中血似酒浓烈
耳边兵戈之声吞噬旷野
火光里飞回的雁也呜咽
哭声传去多远

The air was thick with the strong smell of blood
With the sounds of war devouring all
While the mourning cries of those returning from the battle
Travelled so far and so wide

那首你咏的《上邪》
从此我再听不真切

As for "The Pledge", this song that you sang,
I can never hear clearly, ever again.

敌不过的哪是似水流年
江山早为你我说定了永别
于是你把名字刻入史笺
换我把你刻在我坟前

We lost not to the passing of time but to the world
For it is predestined that we can never be together
Hence you left your name in the annals of history
While on my grave I carved your name as memory

飞花又散落在这个季节
而你嫁衣比飞花还要艳烈
你启唇似又要咏遍《上邪》
说的却是我愿与君绝

The skies, once again, are full of flowers
And you, in your wedding dress, excel even them with your brilliance
You move your lips as if to sing "The Pledge" all over again
Yet what was said was, "Let us never meet, ever again."



The title of this song is taken from an ancient Chinese love song in the Han dynasty. The song the lady sang inside the song (confusing huh) also refers to this Chinese love song.

The love song goes:
《上邪》
上邪!
我欲与君相知,长命无绝衰.
山无陵,江水为竭,
冬雷震震,夏雨雪,
天地合,乃敢与君绝.

And its translation, by Xu Yuanchong (许渊冲):
"The Pledge"
Oh Heavens high!
I will love him forever till I die,
Till mountains crumble,
Rivers run dry,
In winter thunder rumble,
In summer snow fall far and nigh,
And the earth mingle with the sky,
Not till then will love die.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

无名氏 《金缕衣》 - Poem Translation

Original Poem
《金缕衣》
劝君莫惜金缕衣,
劝君惜取少年时。
花开堪折直须折,
莫待无花空折枝。

The Gold Embroidered Dress / Translated by LY Lee
     Cherish not the gold embroidered dress;
     Treasure ye your youth.
     Cut the branch while the flowers bloom,
     Least the empty branch regret unloose.

===================================================
Other versions, taken from here

Cloth of Gold / Translated by 许渊冲
     I advise you not to cherish cloth of gold,
     But to honor the days of youth.
     When flowers bloom they need be plucked:
     Wait not to grasp in vain at empty twigs.

Garment Stitched with Gold Threads / Translated by 龚景浩
     Care not so much for expensive clothing;
     You should treasure a lot more your prime years.
     Pick the flowers while they are blooming.
     Soon nothing’ll be left save bare boughs and tears.

The Golden Dresses / Translated by 王玉书
     Don’t hanker for dresses stranded with gold;
     Do treasure your youth before you get old.
     Pluck flowers as soon as they are worth plucking;
     Don’t wait to break branches in flowers lacking.

Golden Sands / Translated by Herbert A. Giles
     I would not have thee grudge those robes
     which gleam in rich array,
     But I would have thee grudge the hours
     of youth which glide away.
     Go pluck the blooming flower betimes,
     lest when thou com’st again
     Alas, upon the withered stem
     no blooming flowers remain!

The Coat with the Gold Threads / Translated by Innes Herdan
     I warn you—cherish not your gold-threaded coat;
     I warn you—cherish rather the days of your youth!
     When the flower blooms, ready for picking,
     pick it you must:
     Don’t wait till the flower falls
     and pick a bare twig!


《上邪》 小曲儿 - Lyrics Translation

《上邪》 is a song in the 《曲倾天下》 album, sang by 小曲儿 . Background of the song: 【文案】 公元二零一二年,陕西西安考古又发现一墓葬,通过墓志铭可判断其为一位将军与一位宗室女子合葬墓,主墓室存放双...