Poetry in Translation

Unpublished poetry in translation, for fun

《我爱你 》文|余秀华  翻译|rowenac

巴巴地活着,每天打水,煮饭,按时吃药
阳光好的时候就把自己放进去,像放一块陈皮 
茶叶轮换着喝:菊花,茉莉,玫瑰,柠檬 
这些美好的事物仿佛把我往春天的路上带 
所以我一次次按你住内心的雪 它们过于洁白过于接近春天 
在干净的院子里读你的诗歌。

这人间情事 恍惚如突然飞过的麻雀
而光阴皎洁。
我不适宜肝肠寸断
如果给你寄一本书,我不会寄给你诗歌
我要给你一本关于植物,关于庄稼的 
告诉你稻 子和稗 的区别 
告诉你一棵稗子提心吊胆的
春天

I Love You
Written by: Yu Xiuhua Translated by: rowenac

this mundane life, each day fetching water, boiling rice, even taking a prescription
the sunlight is best when you come in, the way adding orange peel
to old tea transforms the brew: chrysanthemum, jasmine, rose, lemon
these beautiful things I carry with me as I journey through the spring
i try to pluck a little snow from your heart, but it's too spotless, too close to spring's embrace
in the garden swept bare, i read you poetry

this one's love story is entrancing, the sudden flight of a fledgling sparrow
or a flash of brilliant sunlight
if I spilled my guts, told you everything, it wouldn't be enough
and if i were to send you a book, I wouldn't be able to offer you poetry
I want to give you a sprig of something, like a straw of old coarse wheat
to explain the difference 
between your profusion and this worried little stalk, cowed
by the spring

《断章 》文|卞之琳 翻译|rowenac

你站在桥上看风景,看风景的人在楼上看你。
明月装饰了你的窗子,你装饰了别人的梦。 

Fragment
Written by: Xia Zhilin Translated by: rowenac

stationed atop the bridge, you gaze out at the view;
others watch from the vantage of their lofty windows, seeing you
the bright moon adorns your window; you, the dreams of others