Lost in Translation?

今天我把华伯那首《桃花源》翻译成英文，原因是为了一个功课。我的写文水平不太好，翻译得不好请不要见怪。

Today I was working on a book project and I had to translate one of my favorite songs to work it into the book. I’m not gonna get into the project details cuz I don’t feel like explaining. But I will post the song lyrics and my translation here.

This is the original Chinese lyrics:

桃花源 – 刘德华             

当天海角上沙鸥四飞翔，曾有一年长的船长。须翻滚似白浪他走遍天茫茫，五洲河山四大洋。尽白发的他叙述某一天雾同航，他忽见神仙岛骤降浪两旁。内没有沧桑亦没有纷争与彷徨，仙岛犹如家乡阳光。 问句那仙岛位处哪一乡，航行路线偏东偏西方可遇上，可会向着南可会向着北，求求导我找到一生想找的理想。但那老者唱位处那一乡，完全视你所思所想所恋所梦上，可以近在前可以远在天，蓝图没有只得心窝可以派用场。 像断线风筝道别我相亲及情人，共浪同航七海无根生。 为了找仙岛别了我家乡，航行万里东方西方通通都踏上，走遍世上南跨遍世上北，寻求梦里所思所想怎会怕路长。 春天转秋天转冬天兜兜转已许多季飘过，却没有找到所要陌路比天长。而春风中秋风中冬风中孤单里我总暗思乡，往日那月亮仍朝思晚想。 才明白仙岛原来是家乡，完全盛载所思所想所恋所梦上，她似近在面前她却远在天，原来别去方知天空不似旧时亮。才明白仙岛原来是家乡，完全盛载所思所想所恋所梦上，她似近在面前她却远在天，原来别去方知思乡可以这样长。 今天海角上沙鸥四飞翔，有一男子颇神伤。他沧桑脸上一千个汪洋，祈有天回家看夕阳。

And here is the English translation I came up with (proofread by my friend Katy, thanks!):

The Source of Peach Blossoms* – Andy Lau            

At the shore, it was filled with gulls that day. There was this old captain.From the look on his face, he seemed to have been to every corner of this world. The white bearded old manTold a story of one foggy day he set sail, and found a paradise island. On this island, there was no vicissitudes, no quarrels, and no bickering. There was only sunshine like the one you see from home. I was eager to ask, “Where is this island? Should I sail East or West? South? North? Please direct me to find what I’ve been looking for my whole life.” But the old man hummed, “At that place, there is everything you ever dreamt of. It could be close by or it could be far as heaven. You can’t find it on the map. Only your heart will direct you to it.” I bid farewell to my loved ones and set sail to the seven seas of the world. Like a kite without any strings, I was never to return. To find this island, I left my home. Sailing thousands of miles away to all directions. East, West, South, and North. For such paradise, I was not afraid of a long journey. From Spring to Autumn, Autumn to Winter. Many seasons had passed, but I still had not found paradise. The journey was grueling. When the lonely winds of Spring, Autumn, and Winter hit my face, I always thought of home. I missed looking at the bright moon from home. Then I suddenly realized my home was paradise. It had everything I ever dreamt of. It seemed close by but it was far as heaven. Only after I left, I noticed the sky was not as bright. Only after I left, I noticed homesick could be so devastating. At the shore, it is filled with gulls today. There is this downcast man.His face has a thousand oceans. His hope is to return home someday and watch the sunset there.

*Source of Peach Blossoms refers to Arcadia

这首歌写得太美了，没有派台就真是浪费左D。

It is a beautiful song. If you are a Andy Lau fan, you must know this song. Otherwise, you probably never heard of it since it was not a hit. The lyrics tell such a good story in a poetic way. My writing is cheesy so I’m not doing the song justice. I wish I can write better. Haha.

~ by mikemai on February 10, 2008.