Category Archives: Poems – All

English Renditions of Chinese Poems

“Nessun dorma” Giuseppe Adami (1878-1946) and Renato Simoni (1875-1952)

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Tenor aria from Puccini’s opera “Turandot”

This is Pavarotti’s signature aria.  See him singing it in NYC, 14 Janurary 1980: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOfC9LfR3PI&feature=related

And in 1994 in Los Angeles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4&NR=1

His last performance of this aria was at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics opening ceremony’s ending: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0Sx5lbVlQA&NR=1

“不准任何人睡”        (意) 阿當米 与 西蒙尼 普词

莬蘭杜公主

普茨尼歌劇”莬兰杜”的男高音咏叹調 

                                                                             Tr. YK Chan 陈耀国译
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!   不准任何人睡！不准任何人睡！
Tu pure, o, Principessa,                       你, 噢，纯诘的公主,
nella tua fredda stanza,                       在你寒冷的房间
guardi le stele                                              看着星星
che tremano d’amore                            在爱情
e di speranza.                                               及希望中颤抖。

 Ma il mio mistero e chiuso in me, 但是我的秘密深鎖我身中，
il nome mio nessun saprá!                 无人知道我的名字！
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diró          不，不，我將在你的口上说出它
quando la luce splenderá!                  就是在天亮的时刻！ 

Ed il mio bacio sciogliera il silenzio     同时我的吻会打开靜寂
che ti fa mia!                                                         使你归屬我！
 
(Coro: Il nome suo nessun saprá!. …   (合唱：无人会知道他的名字！…
e noi dovrem, ahimé, morir)                    而我们却不幸的死亡。)
 
Dilegua, o notte!                                                 噢，黑夜，消失吧！
Tramontate, stelle!                                         星星，降落吧！
Tramontate, stelle!                                         星星，降落吧！
All’alba vinceró!                                                黎明时我将获胜！
vinceró, vinceró!                                             我将获胜！我将获胜！

古詩十九首 之六

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涉江采芙蓉
蘭澤多芳草
采之欲遺誰
所思在遠道
還顧望舊鄉
長路漫浩浩
同心而離居
憂傷以終老

Nineteen Ancient Poems (VI)         anonymous         江紹倫譯

I gather lotus blooms wading through the stream
Fragrant plants fill the orchid swamp in sweet beam
To whom I wish to present this beautiful bouquet
My love who is roaming far away
Towards my old village I turn my eyes
The way back there is far and wide
In separation our hearts are same as one
In grief we will console each other till we grow old

《浪淘沙》(南唐) 李煜

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南唐李后主

          帘外雨潺潺，春意阑珊。
罗衾不耐五更寒。
梦里不知身是客，一晌贪欢。

         独自莫凭栏，无限江山，
别时容易见时难。
流水落花春去也，天上人间。

In the Tune of “Waves Sifting Sand”          Li Yu (937-978)

Tr. YK Chan 陈耀国译

Outside the curtain rain sprinkles: Spring is wearing off.

Silk bedding cannot fend off the fifth-watch chill.

Lost in dreamland I know not myself as a guest—indulging in pleasure for the moment.

 

I ought not to be alone looking out by the railings: boundless kingdom,

Parting is easy but returning is hard.

Water flowing, flowers dropping—spring’s gone, to homeland in heaven!

蝶戀花 (北宋) 周邦彥(1056-1121)

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月皎驚鳥栖不定
更漏将闌  轤轆牽金井
喚起兩眸清炯炯
淚花落枕紅綿冷

執手霜風吹鬓影
去意徘徊  别語愁難聽
樓上闌幹橫鬥柄
露寒人遠雞相應  

Butterflies linger on flowers             Zhou Bang Yan (1056-1121)  江紹倫譯

The nesting birds are unsettling in bright moonlight
The water-clock is about to drip out the night
As the windlass lifts water from the Well of Gold
I wake suddenly to see your staring eyes so bright
Your pillow is wet with tears now cold

I grasp your hands as the frosty breeze lifts your hair in flow
I loath to leave
Fearing to hear you say adieu
When the Plough appears beyond the railing upstairs
I’ll be far from here in the cold of dews
Only the cock’s crow will remain with you

清明 (唐) 杜牧*

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Qing Ming**                    Du Mu (803-852)


清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂。
借问酒家何处有，牧童遥指杏花村。


Tr. YK Chan 陈耀国译

Endless rain at Qing Ming** Festival drizzling 

A traveler’s haste on the road turns nerve-racking

Whereabouts a tavern may be found

To Apricot Blossom Village afar off a cowherd points

___________

* For a discussion of the authorship of this poem, see  http://tv.sohu.com/20100402/n271287421.shtml

** Literally meaning “Clear Brightness”, a festival on the 15th day after spring solstice for traditional visit of ancestral graves.

« Vissi d’arte »* Luigi Illica (1857-1919) & Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906)

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Soprano aria from Puccini’s opera « Tosca »

“我为艺术而活”* (意) 路易治.易利卡 与 吉汝瑟皮.基亚高萨 谱词

普茨尼歌剧”托絲卡”女高音咏叹调

Tr. YK Chan 陈耀国译

Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore, 我为艺术而活，为愛情而活，
non feci mai male ad anima viva!… 我从不伤害一個活着的灵魂！
Con man furtiva 我用一双隱秘的手
quante miserie conobbi, aiutai… 援助了很多我认识的苦难者…
Sempre con fe’ sincera, 我时常诚懇地
la mia preghiera 把我的祈愿
ai santi tabernacoli salì. 禀升到神堂前面。
Sempre con fe’ sincera 又时常诚懇地
diedi fiori agli altar. 在祭壇上奉献鲜花。
Nell’ora del dolore 在这個悲痛的时刻
perché, perché Signore, 天父您为什么，为什么，
perché me ne rimuneri così? 这样酬报我？
Diedi gioielli 我奉献的首饰
della Madonna al manto, 送到聖母的神台，
e diedi il canto 以及歌唱颂赞
agli astri, al ciel, che ne ridean più belli. 星星、天堂，使它们从未这般光晖燦爛。
Nell’ora del dolore, 在这個惨痛的时刻，
perché, perché Signore, 天父您为什么，为什么，
perché me ne rimuneri così? 为什么这样酬报我？

_____________________

Sung by Maria Callas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVkJPL-_T0I

by Suzanne Murphy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyhEMD6rAOI

by Angela Gheoghiu: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OIExoUb8jk&feature=related Z

by Liping Zhang:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wACxL0d9Qm

病馬 杜甫 (712-770)

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乘爾亦已久
天寒關塞深
塵中老盡力
歲晚病傷心
毛骨豈殊衆
馴良猶至今
物微意不淺
感動一沈吟
 

To My Ailing Horse   Du Fu (712-770)          江紹倫譯

You have followed my rein for so many years
Through snow and deep mountain passes we cheered
You have always trotted in good form where’er we go
Seeing you ill in your aging days I feel sorrow
Your coat and frame are not different from others your kind
‘Tis your loyalty to me that shines
This little gesture of appreciation is definitely not shallow
I’m moved to sing you my praise from my soul

野望 (清秋望不極) 杜甫 (712-770)

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清秋望不極
迢遞起曾陰
遠水兼天淨
孤城隱霧深
葉稀風更落
山迥日初沈
獨鶴歸何晚
昏鴉已滿林

Watching the Wilderness       Du Fu (712-770)          江紹倫譯

On this autumn day I see a boundless view
Layers of hills and trees loom in vivid hues
At a distance clean are the water and the sky
Hidden in deep mist a lone town stays from behind
Lingering leafs easily fall when swept by winds
Toward the mountain ranges a retiring sun plummets in
Why should a solitary crane returns to its nest late
When black craws have thronged the woods in haste

鳳凰台上憶吹簫 (宋)李清照 (1084-1156)

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香冷金猊  被翻紅浪  起來慵自梳頭

猊

任寶奩塵滿  日上簾鉤
生怕離懷別苦  多少事  欲說還休
新來瘦  非干病酒  不是悲秋

休休  這回去也  千萬遍陽關  也則難留
念武陵人遠  煙鎖秦樓
惟有樓前流水  應念我  終日凝眸
凝眸處  從今又添  一段新愁

 

Recalling Our Flute Duet At Phoenix Terrace    Li Qing-zhao (1084-1156)           江紹倫譯

Cold incense resting in the censer in gold
I tossed in bed sleepless my quilt in waves of red folds
Idly I get up to comb my hair slow

Let dusts gather in my dresser full
Let the sun creeps up the drape closed

Seized by fears of parting and separation pain
A lot need be said
Words disappeared before they could be let

Recently I have lost much weight
Not due to excessive drinking
Nor because of autumn feeling

Be as it may be as it may
However we sing the parting song you will leave anyway
I’ll hold you dear however far you may stray
From my bower engulfed in haze

The stream near home its flow will continue
Standing witness of how I pine for you
Gazing in absence day after day
Where I fix my gaze
A new grief begins hence to stay