[English translation] 我的一个道姑朋友 - A Taoist Nun Friend of Mine

歌手/Vocal (Cover)：以冬 (Yi Dong)

作曲/Music : 《一番星》

作詞/Lyrics : 陸菱紗 (Lu Ling Sha)

原唱/Vocal ：LON

那年长街春意正浓，

策马同游，烟雨如梦。

檐下躲雨，

望进一双，深邃眼瞳，

宛如华山夹着细雪的微风。

The streets were thick with the essence of spring that year

We drove our horses together in the dream-like mist of rain

Sheltered under the eaves

I gazed into a pair of deep set eyes

It was like the mountain breeze laced with fine feathery snow.

雨丝微凉，

风吹过暗香朦胧。

一时心头悸动，似你温柔剑锋，

过处翩若惊鸿。

Threads of rain fell cool upon the skin

Shrouded by the subtle sweet scent in the wind

A sudden shudder struck my heart, like the gentle dance of your blade

Whirling past with the graceful flair of geese taking flight.

[Chorus]

是否情字写来都空洞，一笔一划斟酌着奉送，

甘愿卑微换个笑容，

或沦为平庸。

Is it true that words of love ultimately ring hollow, weighing miserly offerings with its every stroke

Humbling oneself just for another's smile

Or be doomed in obscurity

而你撑伞拥我入怀中，

一字一句誓言多慎重。

你眼中有柔情千种，

如脉脉春风，冰雪也消融。

You took me in your embrace, under the umbrella you held

How solemn was every single word in your promise

Myriad forms of doting kindness resided in your eyes

Akin to the murmuring spring’s breeze, melting away frost and snow.

后来谁家喜宴重逢，

佳人在侧，烛影摇红。

灯火缱绻，

映照一双，如画颜容，

宛如豆蔻枝头温柔的旧梦。

Later came our reunion at a banquet

A fair lady by your side, while red candles cast wavering shadows

Their soft, lingering lights

Reflected handsome visages out of an artist’s fantasy

Like the pleasant old dream perched upon the branches of my youth

对面不识，

恍然间思绪翻涌。

望你白衣如旧，神色几分冰冻，

谁知我心惶恐？

You graced me with no signs of recognition

A sudden turmoil stirred in me

Your robe, white as ever, but you, shades colder with indifference

Who could fathom my terror within?

[Chorus]

也许我应该趁醉装疯，

借你怀抱留一抹唇红。

再将旧事轻歌慢诵，

任旁人惊动。

Perhaps I should have feigned drunken insanity

Lended your embrace, left upon it a red mark with my lips

Then sing, in slow beats, our story, our history

And let onlookers startle and gasp as they will.

可我只能假笑扮从容，

侧耳听那些情深意重。

不去看你熟悉脸孔，

只默默饮酒，多无动于衷。

But all I managed were false smiles and forced graces

While listening to those loving exchanges within earshot

I avoided your familiarity

and sipped wine in silence; you see how unmoved I am?

山门外，雪拂过白衣，又在指尖消融；

负长剑，试问江湖偌大，该何去何从？

今生至此，像个笑话一样，自己都嘲讽，

一厢情愿，有始无终。

Beyond the door, atop the mountain, snowflakes swept past my white robe, then dissolved on my fingertips

Armed with a long sword, I asked, amidst this big, wide world, where ought I go?

To have turned into a joke that even I myself jeer at

It had always been my wishful longings, cursed with a beginning without an end.

若你早与他人两心同，

何苦惹我错付了情衷。

难道看我失魂落魄，你竟然心动？

If your heart had been long bound with another

Why entice me to misplace mine 

Had it been my helplessness in your presence that drew you in?

所幸经年漂浮红尘中，

这颗心已是千疮百孔。

怎惧你以薄情为刃，添一道裂缝？

又不会痛。

I count myself fortunate for the years wandering this mortal world

For this heart has borne wounds in hundreds and thousands

Do I fear that heartless blade you wield, adding only one to the many?

Not that it hurts at all.

不如将往事埋在风中，

以长剑为碑，以霜雪为冢。

此生若是错在相逢，

求一个善终。

Why not bury the past in the wind

Let my sword be my headstone, and snow build my burial mound

If it was a wrong for us to have met one another

I can only pray for a kindly end.

孤身打马南屏旧桥边过，

恰逢山雨来时雾蒙蒙。

想起那年伞下轻拥，

就像躺在桥索之上，做了一场梦。

梦醒后跌落，粉身碎骨，无影亦无踪。

Alone, I rode past the old bridge of that southern town

Right when mountain rains raised its cloudy mist

I recalled that gentle embrace beneath the umbrella

Like a dream conjured as I lie atop the bridge

To which I’ve awoken from before falling off, shatter to dust, and vanish without a trace

 *** 

Translator's note and update:

Compared to my previous translations, I've taken greater artistic liberties for this one, and likely for any upcoming ones (if any... life and many commitments get in the way). In other words, if I feel that rigid translations with the exact meaning preserved come across awkwardly, I'll tweak them in favor of a more poetic bend, and do my best to preserve the tone of the lyrics. I take this as a sort of practice tinkering with words and language.

I will also be taking a more casual approach to this blog, and upload mostly on a whim. Unfortunately, I'm not able to do footnotes and pinyin as before, as I have very little time to spare. Anyhow, I'll be glad if anyone find this useful or enjoyable.  Thank you.

EDIT (28/5/18): I've decided to update and improve this translation, since this is one song I love and keep returning to. I hope it's clearer and flows better!

*As usual, I claim no credit for everything other than the translations