慈母手中線 遊子身上衣
臨行密密縫 意恐遲遲歸
誰言寸草心 報得三春暉
A Roamer Sings Meng Jiao（751-814) 江紹倫譯
Needle and thread in mother’s hand
Preparing clothes for a son going to far away land
Sewing stitches quicken as parting draws near
His return may be in delay mother fears
Who says a son’s casual affection
Is adequate in return for Mum’s undivided devotion
The Wanderlust Son’s Song Meng Jiao (751-814)
The threads in a loving mother’s hand close
Gaping holes in her wanderlust son’s clothes.
Closer, closer the stitches, as parting’s near;
“He might be late, late in return, I fear.”
E’en the grass’ simple heart, you should understand,
Longs to repay the Spring Sun’s nurturing hand!
(tr. frank c w yue)
i’d like to revise the last two lines as follows (as ‘you should understand’
is superfluous):
“Even the inch-long hearts of the grass demand
Repaying the Spring Sun’s nurturing hand!”