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.

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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!

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.