明月千里寄相思

吳鶯音歌手


鄧丽君歌手

So, my mom is a big fan of the blog. Big fan. She goes, "Oh, you're learning Chinese? Well, you gotta learn this song. This song is full of meaning! Chock full, you get me?"

Yes mom, I get you, chock full. I need more time to absorb the song's lyrics more fully as the translation I have provided here is rather pedestrian and not illuminating. While it isn't a poem, it is nevertheless just as hard as a poem to translate.

As for the song lyrics, as best as I can understand it's a love song about some chick who pines for her man from far, far away and sings to the moon as a intermediary. The song is very notable in the way the meter is irregular and not conforming to 4/4 time. As for mom, I'm sure you found your man from far, far away; it's just that he likes to go out fishing often. Enjoy.

夜色茫茫罩四周，
天邊新月如鉤，
回憶往事恍如夢，
重尋夢境何處求 ；
人隔千里路悠悠，
未曾遙問心已愁，
請明月代問候，
思念的人兒淚常流；

月色朦朦夜未盡，
桌上寒燈光不明，
伴我獨坐苦孤零；
人隔千里無音訊，
欲待遙問終無憑，
請明月代傳信，
寄我片紙兒慰離情。


吳鶯音歌手

The light of the moon covers the vast four corners of the land,
Hanging at the edge of the sky, the new moon is like a hook
Recalling the past, it seems as though I suddenly fall into a dream
A dreamland in which I again search again but don’t know where to seek
We are separated by thousands of miles of distant roads
Before I ask from so far away, I already know your heart is already saddened
I beseech you, luminous moon, in my place please ask for me
For the recollection of humankind is often filled with tears

The hazy moonlight of the night does not shine so brightly
On my table the cold flame of the lantern flickers dimly
Accompanying me as I sit here alone in this painful solitude
We are separated by thousands of miles without any news
Alas, there is no answer to my longing from so far away
Oh please, bright moon, won’t you pass on my message for me?
And send my letter and comfort it as it hesitates leaving on this journey


徐小凤歌手

夜色茫茫罩四周，
Ye4se4 mang2mang2 zhao4 si4zhou1
天邊新月如鉤，
Tian1bian1 xin1yue4 ru2 gou1
回憶往事恍如夢，
Hui2yi4 wang3shi4 huang3 ru2 meng4
重尋夢境何處求 ；
Chong2 xun4 meng4jing4 he2chu4 qiu2
人隔千里路悠悠，
Ren2 ge2 qian1li3 lu4 you1you1
未曾遙問心已愁，
Wei2ceng2 yao2wen4 xin1 yi3 chou2
請明月代問候，
Qing3 ming2yue4 dai4 wen4hou
思念的人兒淚常流；
Si1nian4 de ren2er lei4 chang2 liu2

月色朦朦夜未盡，
Yue4se4 meng2meng2 ye4 wei4jin4
桌上寒燈光不明，
Zhuo1shang han4 deng1guang1 bu4 ming2
伴我獨坐苦孤零；
Ban4 wo3 du4 zuo4 ku3 gu1dan1
人隔千里無音訊，
Ren2 ge2 qian1li3 wu2 yin1xun4
欲待遙問終無憑，
Yu4 dai4 yao2 wen4 zhong1 wu2 ping2
請明月代傳信，
Qing3 ming2yue4 dai4 chuan2 xin4
寄我片紙兒慰離情。
Ji4 wo3 pian4zhi3er wei4 li2qing2

茫茫mang2mang2 vast
罩zhao4 cover
四周si4zhou1 all sides
鉤gou1 hook
往事wang3shi4 the past
恍huang3 suddenly, seemingly
梦境meng4jing4 dreamworld
何處he2chu4 Where…?
隔ge2 separate, be apart
悠悠you1you1 remote, unhurried
未曾wei4ceng2 not…before
遙yao2 distant
朦(胧)meng2(long2) hazy, misty
音訊yin1xun4 news
欲yu4 desire, want
凭 (憑, 凴)ping2 rely on, evidence, no matter, CONJ
傳 chuan2 to pass on, to send
慰wei4 to comfort
離情li2qing2 a sense of being hesitant to leave