A Letter To The North On A Rainy Night(Translation) Poem by Perdita Young (Hanna Wang)
A Letter To The North On A Rainy Night(Translation)
yè yǔ jì běi
夜 雨 寄 北
.
jun wèn guī qī wèi yǒu qī
君 问 归 期 未 有 期
bā shān yè yǔ zhǎng qiū chí
巴 山 夜 雨 涨 秋 池
hé dāng gòng jiǎn xī chuāng zhú
何 当 共 剪 西 窗 烛
què huà bā shān yè yǔ shí
却 话 巴 山 夜 雨 时
=============
Version I(in Metrical verse)
-
You asked when I'd come back—ah not decided yet,
Night rain is filling th' autumn pools, and here I'm set.
When shall we be reunited? by th' west window again,
Trimming wicks, and recall—this night of ceaseless rain.
=================
Version II（in Metrical verse）
-
You asked when I'd come home… I can't decide yet;
Night rain in th' Ba mountains has swelled the autumn pond.
Ah when could we trim wicks by our west window again?
And talk about th' Ba mountains and its night rain.
================
Version III（in Free verse）
-
You ask for the date of my return?
Alas, not decided yet;
the rain here has overfilled
the autumn pools tonight.
.
I crave for the Day when I could
be with you, by the window west,
trimming the wicks, and recall
this rainy night—^darkest of all.
=================
Version IV(in Free verse)
-
You wrote to ask when I'd come home…
Well, it can't be decided on;
night rain has brimmed
the autumn pond...
.
When shall we sit up
at the west window again?
trimming wicks, and recall
this night— of ceaseless rain.
-
Translated by Perdita, Sept.27th,2017.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Delivering Poems Around The World
Poems are the property of their respective owners. All information has been reproduced here for educational and informational purposes to benefit site visitors, and is provided at no charge...
5/8/2024 3:45:37 AM # 1.0.0.1119
How helpless is the man, instead of bluntly telling an ugly truth that neither his birth nor his death is in his hands, he is presents his helplessness as his lack of decision power. When Madam Perdita Young does it, it's changed in the beauty of words, a work of art!
Thank you Mr. Jawad for the insightful comment. Li was the kind of man helpless in almost everything in his life, like many of the literary figures in Chinese history under the rule of emperors... Most of them were extreme pessimists... Thanks very much for your heart-warming compliment. :)