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Yao Hua Man: On the White Jasmine
English Poetic Translation
Adorned with ruby hairpins, a rare treasure gleams.
Like flying celestial jade descending from the skies,
Surpassing every parting spring upon this earthly shore.
Across the southern and northern streams, such flowers remain unseen;
In vain men liken them to drifting pear-cloud or plum-snow.
In the late spring of the Huai Mountains, who truly knows
Their fragrant heart, so lofty and immaculate?
Through how many cycles of falling and returning blossoms
Have the heroes of the jade frontier grown old?
From golden vases, jade branches are clipped and sent away;
Behold the single horse riding through the crimson dust,
Its subtle fragrance drifting across the jasper palace towers.
When youth's bright prime is at its height, one should rejoice
To mingle first with the bees and butterflies of the capital.
Du Mu has grown old, and pondering bygone days,
The very stamens of the flowers might tell the tale.
I recall my youth: a single dream of Yangzhou city,
And the bright moonlight shining on the twenty-four bridges.
Like flying celestial jade descending from the skies,
Surpassing every parting spring upon this earthly shore.
Across the southern and northern streams, such flowers remain unseen;
In vain men liken them to drifting pear-cloud or plum-snow.
In the late spring of the Huai Mountains, who truly knows
Their fragrant heart, so lofty and immaculate?
Through how many cycles of falling and returning blossoms
Have the heroes of the jade frontier grown old?
From golden vases, jade branches are clipped and sent away;
Behold the single horse riding through the crimson dust,
Its subtle fragrance drifting across the jasper palace towers.
When youth's bright prime is at its height, one should rejoice
To mingle first with the bees and butterflies of the capital.
Du Mu has grown old, and pondering bygone days,
The very stamens of the flowers might tell the tale.
I recall my youth: a single dream of Yangzhou city,
And the bright moonlight shining on the twenty-four bridges.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
朱鈿寶。
天上飛瓊，比人間春別。
江南江北，曾未見，謾擬梨雲梅雪。
淮山春晚，問誰識、芳心高潔。
消幾番、花落花開，老了玉關豪傑。
金壺翦送瓊枝，看一騎紅塵，香度瑤闕。
韶華正好，應自喜、初識長安蜂蝶。
杜郎老矣，想舊事、花須能說。
記少年，一夢揚州，二十四橋明月。
天上飛瓊，比人間春別。
江南江北，曾未見，謾擬梨雲梅雪。
淮山春晚，問誰識、芳心高潔。
消幾番、花落花開，老了玉關豪傑。
金壺翦送瓊枝，看一騎紅塵，香度瑤闕。
韶華正好，應自喜、初識長安蜂蝶。
杜郎老矣，想舊事、花須能說。
記少年，一夢揚州，二十四橋明月。
Philological Direct Translation
Red hairpin, precious treasure.
Flying jade of heaven, compared with the world's spring departure.
South of the river, north of the river, never yet seen, in vain likened to pear cloud and plum snow.
Huai mountain spring late, ask who knows, fragrant heart high and pure.
How many times, flowers fall, flowers open, aged have the jade pass heroes.
Golden pot clipped and sent jasper branch, see one horse red dust, fragrance crosses jasper palace.
Spring time just right, should itself rejoice, first knowing chang'an bees and butterflies.
Du Lang has aged, remembering past events, flower stamens must be able to speak.
Remembering youth, one dream of yangzhou, twenty-four bridges bright moon.
Flying jade of heaven, compared with the world's spring departure.
South of the river, north of the river, never yet seen, in vain likened to pear cloud and plum snow.
Huai mountain spring late, ask who knows, fragrant heart high and pure.
How many times, flowers fall, flowers open, aged have the jade pass heroes.
Golden pot clipped and sent jasper branch, see one horse red dust, fragrance crosses jasper palace.
Spring time just right, should itself rejoice, first knowing chang'an bees and butterflies.
Du Lang has aged, remembering past events, flower stamens must be able to speak.
Remembering youth, one dream of yangzhou, twenty-four bridges bright moon.