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Immortal Riding an Auspicious Crane: Moist Clouds Adhere to Wild Geese
English Poetic Translation
Heavy vapors cling to passing wings of geese,
While sorrow clouds the traveler's road, and parting threads untwine.
A thousand pieces spent for fleeting light—
Yet scattered temple bells push dawn too fast,
And restless crows lament the dying day.
In darkened flowers, memory recalls
So many tender vows within the dream.
Though roaming clouds refuse to travel home,
They still might bear a message on the wind.
So lone and vast.
The pledge of bonded phoenixes remains;
The crane flies high across the distant blue,
And promised meetings lack a steadfast date.
I take the shears to cut these threads of grief,
Only to wake old bitter pains anew.
Where will the heavens guide the uneven pair
Of mating swallows, staining painted wings?
Before the mirror's silver disc I speak
Of endless yearning—watching which of us
Has grown more thin and wasted with the woe.
While sorrow clouds the traveler's road, and parting threads untwine.
A thousand pieces spent for fleeting light—
Yet scattered temple bells push dawn too fast,
And restless crows lament the dying day.
In darkened flowers, memory recalls
So many tender vows within the dream.
Though roaming clouds refuse to travel home,
They still might bear a message on the wind.
So lone and vast.
The pledge of bonded phoenixes remains;
The crane flies high across the distant blue,
And promised meetings lack a steadfast date.
I take the shears to cut these threads of grief,
Only to wake old bitter pains anew.
Where will the heavens guide the uneven pair
Of mating swallows, staining painted wings?
Before the mirror's silver disc I speak
Of endless yearning—watching which of us
Has grown more thin and wasted with the woe.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
溼雲黏雁影。
望徵路愁迷，離緒難整。
千金買光景。
但疏鍾催曉，亂鴉啼暝。
花暗省。
許多情、相逢夢境。
便行雲、都不歸來，也合寄將音信。
孤迥。
盟鸞心在，跨鶴程高，後期無準。
情絲待翦。
翻惹得，舊時恨。
怕天教何處，參差雙燕，還染殘朱剩粉。
對菱花、與說相思，看誰瘦損。
望徵路愁迷，離緒難整。
千金買光景。
但疏鍾催曉，亂鴉啼暝。
花暗省。
許多情、相逢夢境。
便行雲、都不歸來，也合寄將音信。
孤迥。
盟鸞心在，跨鶴程高，後期無準。
情絲待翦。
翻惹得，舊時恨。
怕天教何處，參差雙燕，還染殘朱剩粉。
對菱花、與說相思，看誰瘦損。
Philological Direct Translation
Moist clouds adhere to wild goose shadows.
Watching long travel routes, sorrow is bewildering; parting threads are hard to tidy.
A thousand pieces of gold buy scenery.
Yet sparse bells hasten dawn, chaotic crows cry at dusk.
Flowers darken in reflection.
So much feeling, meeting within dream realms.
Even if roaming clouds all do not return, they still should send along tidings.
Solitary and distant.
Alliance of the phoenix heart remains, riding the crane the journey is high, future trysts have no standard.
Thread of love waits to be cut.
Instead it provokes old hatreds.
Fearing Heaven instructs what place, uneven paired swallows, still stain remaining vermilion and surplus powder.
Facing the water-chestnut mirror, I speak of mutual longing, to see who has grown thin and wasted.
Watching long travel routes, sorrow is bewildering; parting threads are hard to tidy.
A thousand pieces of gold buy scenery.
Yet sparse bells hasten dawn, chaotic crows cry at dusk.
Flowers darken in reflection.
So much feeling, meeting within dream realms.
Even if roaming clouds all do not return, they still should send along tidings.
Solitary and distant.
Alliance of the phoenix heart remains, riding the crane the journey is high, future trysts have no standard.
Thread of love waits to be cut.
Instead it provokes old hatreds.
Fearing Heaven instructs what place, uneven paired swallows, still stain remaining vermilion and surplus powder.
Facing the water-chestnut mirror, I speak of mutual longing, to see who has grown thin and wasted.