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何处同仙侣，青衣独在家。
暖炉留煮药，邻院为煎茶。
画壁灯光暗，幡竿日影斜。
殷勤重回首，墙外数枝花。

Where might you be, with your immortal companions?
Only your servant is home;
you’ve left herbs cooking on the warm brazier,
tea leaves brewing in the next courtyard.
The painted walls fade into the lamplight,
the flagstaff’s long shadow is slanting —
again and again I look round,
but beyond the wall, only flowers.

月落乌啼霜满天，江枫渔火对愁眠。
姑苏城外寒山寺，夜半钟声到客船。

The moon sinks, a crow cries, frost fills the sky;
river maples, fishing fires; melancholy sleep.
From Cold Mountain Temple beyond the Suzhou wall
the midnight bell’s echo reaches travellers’ boats.

朱雀桥边野草花，乌衣巷口夕阳斜。
旧时王谢堂前燕，飞入寻常百姓家。

One poem, many renderings. All by me. Apologies to the translators pastiched.

By Red Sparrow Bridge, wild grass flowers;
evening sunlight slants across Black Robe Lane.
Swallows from the ancient halls of Wang and Xie
fly now into the houses of the Hundred Clans.

*

In the style of Red Pine

Wild grass and flowers by Red Sparrow Bridge
evening sunlight slopes into Black Robe Lane
swallows from the old halls of Wang and Hsieh
fly into ordinary folks’ homes

*

In the style of David Hinton

By Red Sparrow Bridge, wild grasses are
flowering, as evening sunlight slants
into DarkRobe Street. Before the ancient Wang and Hsieh
mansions — swallows, flying into ordinary homes.

*

In the style of Kenneth Rexroth

Wild grass is flowering
by the bridge. Evening sunlight
slants across the lane.
Swallows once circled
these old manors, but fly
into lesser homes now.

*

In the style of Jeanne Larsen

Wild grass
flowers
by
Red Sparrow Bridge.

Sunlight —
slanting across
Crow-Cloak Street.

Ancient halls,
Wang and Hsieh —
swallows
flying
through ordinary homes.

落叶纷纷暮雨和，朱丝独抚自清歌。
放情休恨无心友，养性空抛苦海波。
长者车音门外有，道家书卷枕前多。
布衣终作云霄客，绿水青山时一过。

Falling leaves fill the evening, mingling with the rain;
I stroke vermilion strings alone, sing a pure song.
I let go my resentment at having no soulmate;
I cultivate my character, leave the bitter sea’s waves.
Wealthy people’s carriages pass outside the dark gate;
piles of Taoist books lie stacked before my pillow.
Commonly clad once, now a traveller of the sky,
at times still I pass green waters, verdant hills.

water drops trace lost fragments of their bodies over misted glass

~|~

Friday’s performance of the Dream of Red Mansions was so beautiful: opulent sets, gorgeous costumes, excellent singing, and some of the best stage lighting I’ve seen in any theatre. I’d seen bits and pieces performed before, but this was my first time seeing the whole thing at once (my first full-length Chinese opera!). I loved every minute of it. Xu Jin’s libretto has some beautifully lyrical moments, and Daiyu’s poignant, eloquent aria as she burns her poems is my favourite of them all. So, in order to commemorate the occasion, I’ve decided to translate Daiyu’s flower-burying poem from Chapter 27 of the novel.

(more…)

溪水清涟树老苍，行穿溪树踏春阳。
溪深树密无人处，唯有幽花渡水香。

The ripples on the stream are clear, the old trees are grey;
threading through these woods, I’ve stepped into spring sunlight.
The waters and the woods are deep; no one’s dwelling here;
only the fragrance of hidden flowers is crossing the river.

山路欹斜石磴危，不愁行苦苦相思。
冰销远涧怜清韵，雪远寒峰想玉姿。
莫听凡歌春病酒，休招闲客夜贪棋。
如松匪石盟长在，比翼连襟会肯迟。
虽恨独行冬尽日，终期相见月圆时。
别君何物堪持赠？泪落晴光一首诗。

The mountain paths are steep and sheer, the stones are dangerous,
but the journey doesn’t grieve me; I grieve from lovesickness.
Ice melts in distant streams — I miss your clear voice;
snowy, distant mountain peaks — I think of your jade form.
Don’t listen to street songs or get drunk with wine in spring;
cease to entertain idle guests. Don’t long for chess at night.
Our union will endure as the rocks and pines;
we’re paired wings, joined lapels; we can bear delay.
Though it’s sad to walk alone on the last day of winter,
we’ll finally meet again when the moon is full.
Parted now, what may I send as a gift?
Fallen tears, clear light, this one poem.

neko no koi
yamu toki neya no
oborozuki

amor felinus
finit — in cubiculo
luna nebulosa

cat-love finishes;
after that, upon the bed
a hazy moon

— Basho

Seu mare per longum mea cogitet ire puella,
hanc sequar et fidos una aget aura duos.
Unum litus erit sopitis unaque tecto
arbor, et ex una saepe bibemus aqua;
et tabula una duos poterit componere amantis,
prora cubile mihi seu mihi puppis erit.
Omnia perpetiar: saevus licet urgeat Eurus,
velaque in incertum frigidus Auster agat;
quicumque et venti miserum vexastis Ulixem
et Danaum Euboico litore mille ratis;
et qui movistis duo litora, cum ratis Argo
dux erat ignoto missa columba mari.

Illa meis tantum non umquam desit ocellis,
incendat navem Iuppiter ipse licet.
Certe isdem nudi pariter iactabimur oris;
me licet unda ferat, te modo terra tegat.
Sed non Neptunus tanto crudelis amori,
Neptunus fratri par in amore Iovi:
testis Amymone, latices dum ferret, in arvis
compressa, et Lernae pulsa tridente palus;
iam deus amplexu votum persolvit, at illi
aurea divinas urna profudit aquas.
Crudelem et Borean rapta Orithyia negavit:
hic deus et terras et maria alta domat.
Crede mihi, nobis mitescet Scylla, nec umquam
alternante vacans vasta Charybdis aqua;
ipsaque sidera erunt nullis obscura tenebris;
purus et Orion, purus et Haedus erit.
Quod mihi si ponenda tuo sit corpore vita,
exitus hic nobis non inhonestus erit.

~|~

Or if my girl thinks about wandering the wide sea,
I’ll follow her, and one breeze will drive both our loves.
One shore and one tree will be home to us, sleeping,
and of the same stream will we frequently drink;
one board will be able to hold two lovers,
whether my bed be in the prow or the stern.
I’ll endure all, though harsh Eurus press me
or cold Auster drive the sails into the unknown;
and you, whichever winds harassed unhappy Ulysses,
and the thousand Danaan ships on Euboea’s shore;
and you, who moved two shores, while the Argo was led
by a dove sent out over an unknown sea.

May she never so much as be away from my eyes,
even if Jupiter himself were to set the ship afire.
Surely naked, together, we’d be cast on the same shore;
let the waves bear me off, so long as earth covers you.
But Neptune won’t be cruel to a love so strong,
Neptune, to his brother Jove equal in love!
Witness Amymone, with her jars, held down in the fields,
and the fens of Lerna, struck with the trident —
already the god, embracing her, has fulfilled his vow,
and her golden urn has poured forth divine waters.
Orithyia too, raped, denied Boreas was cruel;
this god controls both nations and high seas.
Believe me, even Scylla will grow mild for us,
and Charybdis, ever shifting between voids and vast waters.
The stars themselves will be obscured by no shadows;
Orion and Haedus — both will be pure.
And so, for me, if I should lay my life down by your side,
such an ending would not be dishonourable.

Looks like office work hasn’t changed in 1800 years.

职事相填委，文墨纷消散。
驰翰未暇食，日昃不知晏。
沈迷簿领间，回回自昏乱。
释此出西城，登高且游观。
方塘含白水，中有凫与雁。
安得肃肃羽，从尔浮波澜？

Office work accumulates, pile upon pile;
inked papers abound in strikethroughs and smears.
My writing brush races; there’s no time to eat;
though the sun’s setting, I know no peace.
I’m sinking and lost amid books and reports
that keep coming back! I’m faint with confusion.
Leaving off, I visit the west city-wall;
climbing the height, I let my eyes wander.
Foursquare embankments hold back the clear water,
with wild ducks and geese in their midst;
where may I find a pair of soft-sounding wings,
that I may float, like you, on the waves?