Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Translation of two Chinese Poems

静夜思 - 李白

床前明月光,
疑是地上霜,
舉頭望明月,
低頭思故鄉。

*Literal Translation*

Thoughts of a Quiet Night - Li Bai

Before the bed is the bright moon,
Wondering if what is on the ground is frost,
Lift up the head to see the moon,
Lower the head to ponder on the village.

*My Translation*

Bedside, below the silver moon,
I silently gaze at the morning frost,
Above my head the midnight noon,
Beneath my thoughts my village lost.

獨坐敬亭山 - 李白

眾鳥高飛盡,
孤雲獨去閑。
相看兩不厭,
只有敬亭山。

*Literal Translation*

Sitting alone on Jingting Hill

Flocks of birds all fly away high,
The lone cloud journeys on its own.
Both not tired of looking on
That can be only Jingting hill and I.

*My Translation*

The crowding birds soar high away,
The wand'ring cloud to promenade.
All that's left to reflect my gaze
Is Jingting Hill, noble, unafraid.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like this post.

9:28 a.m.  
Blogger Minch said...

wow... i actually KNOW this poem! Anihow, i like ur translation better than the other one, but i like the chinese version even more :P (of course)

11:56 a.m.  

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