A song of "On the YouZhou Building"
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Looking forward, I cannot see any ancient people;
Looking behind, I don't see any coming person.
So long and long this universe will be, as I am seeing now,
I cannot help but weeping, sadly and lonely!
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Author: ZiAng Chen
Time: Tang dynastic
In Chinese:
登幽州台歌
前不见古人，后不见来者
念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下！
（唐）陈子昂
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Looking forward, I cannot see any ancient people;
Looking behind, I don't see any coming person.
So long and long this universe will be, as I am seeing now,
I cannot help but weeping, sadly and lonely!
------------
Author: ZiAng Chen
Time: Tang dynastic
In Chinese:
登幽州台歌
前不见古人，后不见来者
念天地之悠悠，独怆然而涕下！
（唐）陈子昂
6 comments:
My suggestion: Try to translate the combined meaning of the words rather than the words itself :)
Thanks for haricot! Will you modify this translation for me? Or just retranslate it.
Skymountain: Here are my suggestions for your consideration ....
直譯:
Song of "Climbing the You Zhou Building"
Ahead, I see no ancestors;
Behind, I find no followers.
Contemplating the vastness of the universe;
I can't help but weep, feeling sad and lonely.
意釋:
Song of the You Zhou Exile
The wise ancestors are long gone,
There is no future emperor in sight;
Across the vast land I sing this song,
Weeping alone for my sad plight.
(Author: ZiAng Chen, Tang dynasty, China)
解釋:
這首詞是語帶相關,和登黃鶴楼丶登鸛雀樓等迥然不同。作者是暗示君王忠言逆耳,不單止不信任和不接受他的勸告,還要放逐他到遠方,不准他還鄉,所以自嘆生不逢時,感到非常孤單和悲愴。
前 = the past
后 = the future
古人 = 来者 = Ancestors and followers (暗示past and future rulers/emperors with wisdom)
念 = feel/recognize/contemplate
天地 = the universe (暗示the kingdom)
悠悠 = vast emptiness/loneliness
独怆然 = by myself feeling sad and lonely
涕下 = weep
Please note I made a correction and provided new info in my blog article mentioned earlier.
Here is the revised article:
http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2008/08/english-translation-climbing-you-zhou.html
Thanks haricot, for you are so kind to help me. And it'a amazing that you are so familiar with the tradition Chinese literature!
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