onsdag, juni 07, 2006

Translation of 《发如雪》 by Jay Chou

I translated it because I was bored. There is a lot of beauty lost in translation, and it is quite a substandard piece of work, so criticism and comments are welcome ^^ Oh well, like I said, no translation, however precise and lovely, can ever do justice to the Chinese language, which is ineffably beautiful, beyond description, beyond words. In fact this translated version of the lyrics is actually quite cheesy, isn't it?


The moonlight was of a pale shade of yellow,
shrouded by wisps of shadows.
Beneath it, my lady was full of sorrow.
I raised a cup and drank in the melancholy of the wind and snow.
Who has upset the depository of past lives,
And disturbed the settled dust from its tranquility?
Our names lent a glance into our destinies;
Can our love survive the countless reincarnations,
And last for an infinite number of lifetimes?
A frown was etched upon your brows,
As you cried that a lost love cannot be redeemed.
It does not matter even if history dissolves into dust,
Because my love for you will never be diminished.
All grandeur and beauty fade away in a blink of the eye -
Like three thousand miles of water flowing towards the East,
They rush on quickly without turning or looking back.
I ask only for a ladle of this spring of love,
In hope to understand its transcendence.
Your soul has transformed into a lovely butterfly,
To which my heart solely and faithfully belongs.
Your hair was white - the color of snow,
And the memory of it renders our separation chillingly poignant.
Is anyone moved by the fragrance of my burning incense?
I invite the brilliant moon to shine its light upon our memories,
Where our love now resides in serene perfection under the moonlight.
Your hair was white - the color of snow,
The sight of it evoked a mess of flying tears.
Is my endless wait for you witnessed by anyone
From his youth to old age?
The mortal world continues to dream in intoxication
As the years become slightly drunken in sadness.
There is no feeling of regret as I carve promises of my eternal love
For you, on your silent and lonely grave.
I remember how the mirror reflected your childlike innocence,
As you daintily tied your ponytail.
Even if you were to act with wilfulness, throughout this lifetime
I'm willing to be with you, without regret, without fail,
As I raise this cup of wine to prove my undying love for you.

3 kommentarer:

Anonym sagde ...

great translation!

Anonym sagde ...

wow... beautiful translation,
I read the chinese, and didn't even understand it.

Cedric Yu sagde ...

thanks for the translation :D!