Translation of Chinese Poems (4)

Candi's English Translation 

of Chinese Poems

Table

16. 相思

王維

Translated by Candi C. P. Liu (劉振蘋)

相思
Loving Thoughts for Each Other

Wang Wei*

紅豆生南國，春來發幾枝；

The red beans grow in the south;
I wonder how many branches 
have sprouted this spring.

願君多采擷，此物最相思。

I wish you'd pick as many as possible;

they are a symbol 
of endless love and care.

15. 春曉

孟浩然

Translated by Candi C. P. Liu (劉振蘋)

春曉

The Dawn of Spring

Meng Haoran*

春眠不覺曉，處處聞啼鳥。

Staying asleep I wasn’t aware 

of the dawn of spring
but heard birds singing near and far.

夜來風雨聲，花落知多少。

The sound of the previous night’s wind and rain
left me wondering how many flowers had fallen.

14. 送孟浩然之廣陵

李白

Translated by Candi C. P. Liu (劉振蘋)

送孟浩然之廣陵

Bidding Farewell to Meng Haoran*

Leaving for Guangling*

Li Bai*

故人西辭黃鶴樓，煙花三月下揚州。

My old friend left Yellow Crane Terrace*
and sailed down east to Yangzhou*
in March of misty smoke and flowers.

孤帆遠影碧空盡，唯見長江天際流。

His lonely sail became a distant shadow,
disappearing in the blue sky;
out there I could only see Yangtze River*
flowing into the horizon.

*Guangling refers to Yangzhou

*Yellow Crane Terrace is located in Wuhan, Hubei Province.

13.   楓橋夜泊

張繼

Translated by Candi C. P. Liu (劉振蘋)

楓橋*夜泊
A Night Anchorage

at Maple Bridge*

Zhang Ji*

月落烏啼霜滿天，江楓漁火對愁眠。

It’s frosty everywhere
with the moon hidden behind the clouds

and the crows cawing;

Facing the maple trees by the river

and the lights in the fishing boats,

I'm sleepless with sorrow.

姑蘇*城外寒山寺*，夜半鐘聲到客船。

Outside the city of Gusu*,

the sound of the ringing bells 

from Hangshan Temple*

reaches my boat at midnight.

*Maple Bridge is located in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province.
*Gūsū is another name for Suzhou City.
*Hanshan Temple is located near Maple Bridge.

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