30 June 2018

Li Bai: Two Verses of Song of Qiupu, XV and XIV 李白 秋浦歌 两首 其十五、十四

Today, I am posting my rendition of 2 of Li Bai's 17 "Songs of Qiupu" which I had posted earlier complete with notes.  I hope you will find my translations interesting.  Here we go:-


A:  Li Bai (701-762): Song of Qiupu, 15 of 17 (My hoary hair, a full three-furlong)

My hoary hair, a full three-furlong,
Its cause, my sorrow, equally long.
O autumn frosts in my mirror clear, from  
Where have you come, my hair to throng?

Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa)     譯者黃宏發
11th June 2012 (revised 12.6.12; 13.6.12; 11.12.12)
http://chinesepoemsinenglish.blogspot.com/2012/12/li-bai-song-of-qiupu-xv-1st-line-my.html

Translated from the original - 

李白秋浦歌 17首 其15  (白髮三千丈)

白髮三千丈
缘愁似
不知明鏡裏
何處得秋霜



B:  Li Bai (701-762): Song of Qiupu, 14 of 17 (Their furnace fire illumes both earth and sky)

Their furnace fire illumes both earth and sky,
Red sparks spiking its purple smoke awry.
A night in clear moonlight, the red-faced smelters,
Their songs bestir the wintry stream nearby.

Translated by Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa)   譯者黃宏發
20th July 2011 (revised 30.7.11) 

Translated from the original - 
李白秋浦歌 17首 其14 (爐火照天地)

爐火照天地
紅星亂紫煙
赧郎明月夜
歌曲動寒川







2 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Just wondering whether line 2 of A would be better if it be reworked using the word "strong" instead of "long."

 

Classical Chinese Poems in English

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