Tuesday, 6 August 2013

红颜劫


斩断情丝心犹乱
I want to break off this love affair, but my heart is still unsettled
千头万绪仍纠缠
Many thoughts are still bothering me
拱手让江山
I hand over the kingdom
低眉恋红颜
Lowering my brow, missing my kindred spirit
祸福轮流转
Disaster and good fortune (the wheel of fortune) rotate(s)
是劫还是缘
Is this a curse or a blessing
天机算不尽
Heaven’s will cannot be predicted
交织悲与欢
It is entwined with sadness and happiness
古今痴男女
Sentimental men and women from the beginning til now
谁能过情关
Who can (Implied meaning: they cannot) escape the trial of relationships
谁能过情关
Who can escape the trial of relationships


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Once again, please credit if taking! Thank you. :)

凤凰于飞

凤凰于飞
刘欢

旧梦依稀,往事迷离,春花秋月里

The old dream is misty, and the things I am thinking of are far away in the spring flowers and autumn moon.
如雾里看花,水中望月,飘来又浮去 

Looking at flowers in the fog, watching the moon in the water, coming and going
君来有声,君去无语,翻云覆雨里 

When she comes there is sound, when she is gone it is silent in the tumbling clouds and pouring rain.
虽两情相惜,两心相怡,得来复失去 

Although the two of us are in love and happy together, everything we receive, we lose.
有诗待和,有歌待应,有心待相系 

There are poems and songs waiting to be completed, and hearts waiting to be reunited
望长相思,望长相守,却空留琴与笛 

Hoping to be missed and hoping to be reunited, but the zither and flute lay untouched
以情相悦,以心相许,以身相偎依 

We are in love, our hearts are one and our bodies are nestled against one another
愿勿相忘,愿勿相负,又奈何恨与欺 

I hope we won’t forget or betray each other, however there is hate and bullying
得非所愿,愿非所得 

We are unable to get what we want, but receive what we don’t
看命运嘲弄,造化游戏 

It all depends on how fate plans it, treating our fortune as a game
真情诺诺,终于随乱红飞花去 

True love was promised, but eventually flies away with red flowers
期盼明月,期盼朝阳,期盼春风浴 

Hoping for a bright moon, a bright sun and to bask in the spring breeze
可逆风不解,挟雨伴雪,摧梅折枝去 

But the tumultuous wind will not stop, accompanied by rain and snow which breaks the cherry blossom branches
凤凰于飞,翙翙其羽,远去无痕迹 

The Phoenix flies, there is the sound of its wings and then it is gone without a trace
听梧桐细雨,瑟瑟其叶,随风摇记忆 

Listening to the rain on the trees howling between the leaves, the wind stirs up memories
梧桐细雨,瑟瑟其叶,随风摇记忆

The rain is howling between the leaves, the wind stirs up memories.

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I have just finished watching the series "后宫 甄嬛传”, also known as “Empresses in the Palace” or “The Legend of Zhen Huan”. Besides being an incredibly beautiful, tragic and moving show, I found the songs wonderful as well and was disappointed that I was unable to find English translations for the lyrics online. 

This song appears to be written and sung from the character Yun Li's (Guo Jun Wang) POV regarding his feelings for Zhen Huan, based on the lyrics as well as the moments in which the song is woven into the show.

Although my command of the Chinese language is poor, I have tried my best translate the song’s meaning accurately in order to maintain its integrity while at the same time taking some creative liberties to make it sound fluent in English rather than translating word for word. Please credit if taking, it took effort to translate. Thank you!

P.S: Check out the live performance of the song here, it amazing how the singer sounds exactly the same as the recording.