Notes of a Desolate Libra

Passing Star

The Year of Fate
(Translated by Aka)

Fallen for the missing piece of an Angel
Mesmerized by words of the Devil
the Lord sat upon his cloud-edge seat
blinked and wrinkled his brow
then nodded for the story to proceed.

Fallen for a passionate diversion
for no longer than a flower is in perfection
As you stood next to me
and casually flashed into my vision
a light lacerated the clear May skies
and all was brightened.

One random day
on a star-crossed pathway
this ill-fated drama
was destined to play.

So very suddenly, fortune’s threads
wove intertwined lines
through the Heart of our hands.

The distance
before innocence became misplaced
to after Love’s bittersweet taste
measured only but a day.
Can’t ask it to stay
nor trace its way
Such, is the Year of Fate.
(That very moment \ a lifetime \ changed.)

The time we encountered the firework display
was a chance to reincarnate
but the Commanding Star passed by
and took you astray
without any goodbyes
a light year away.

———————————————-

T/N: Happy Chinese New Year/Valentines Day! My first lyric translation of the year!!! Right before the CNY too! I was totally obsessed with this song for about a month and finally decided to make an attempt at translation… ah the beauty of Chinese… (yes yes I’m a dork). I took quite a lot of liberties with this translation, both in selecting words and interpretation of the intentions of the lyric writer (the matchless Albert Lin Xi). Also, I decided to add a more “mystical” flavor to this translation, fully utilizing the various references to Chinese fortune telling. The story I told was basically of someone who (being egging on of both the Gods and the Devil) fell for the wrong person and ended up in heartbreak; an actor in a tragic play directed by the powers that be. Very typical story, but so beautifully told.

Chinese culture related clarifications:

Year of Fate – 流年 (liu2 nian2) actually means passing years or (in this particular song) a person’s fortune in a particular year. I had to tweak it a little to make it sound more poetic in English.
Commanding Star – 紫薇星 (zi3 wei1 xing1) This is the star of leaders and commanders. No standard translation; I’m using this particular translation for emphasis on the power and inescapable grasp of this star.
Lines in the Hands – In Chinese fortune telling, the lines in people’s palms tell their entire life’s tale, i.e. Palm Reading.

流年 (王菲)

愛上一個天使的缺點
用一種魔鬼的語言
上帝在雲端　只眨了一眨眼
最後眉一皺　頭一點

愛上一個認真的消遣
用一朵花開的時間
你在我旁邊　只打了個照面
五月的晴天　閃了電

有生之年　狹路相逢　終不能倖免
手心忽然長出　糾纏的曲線
懂事之前　情動以後　長不過一天
留不住　算不出　流年 (哪一年　讓一生　改變)

遇見一場煙火的表演
用一場輪迴的時間
紫微星流過　來不及說再見
已經遠離我　一光年

Lyrics 歌詞, Translations Faye Wong, Translation, 流年, 王菲

In the Mist

Zen (1)

What was said, or left unsaid
were forgotten
when you left
silently.

I let my tears hide
in the pages of this book.
Just like
those few Jasmine blossoms
from our youth.

Perhaps in an afternoon yet to come
they will take flight
suddenly
into a fragrant-less, sound-less
void.

And perhaps, at that time
outside the window
there would be rain
falling
ever so gently.

禪意（一） (席慕容)
當你沉默地離去
說過的　或沒說過的話
都已忘記
我將我的哭泣也夾在
書頁裏　好像
我們年輕時的那幾朵茉莉
也許會在多年後的
一個黃昏裏
從偶然翻開的扉頁中落下
沒有芳香　再無聲息
窗外那時　也許
會正落著細細的細細的雨

Poetry, Translations, Xi Murong 席慕容 Poetry, Translation, Xi Murong 席慕容, Zen

I love it when we in the same industry share the same woes….

My dear friend Alejandro nails it again with this little comic strip. See the vertical note on the right side. I mentioned it to him in passing and I can’t believe he’s turned my rant into such a cute little strip.

Anyway… for all of you out there who are going the freelance route… it’s ok if no one (especially the parents) understands you/what you’re doing. As long as you are enjoying yourself and doing what you really want to do… it’s all worth it!

On a different note… this blog has been in hiatus. Hopefully in the near future I will find the time and energy to resurrect it. There’s certainly been some craziness in my life. But hey, that’s LIVING!

Hope everyone had a good new year!

Musings, Translations Comics, Mox

Imprint

Imprint

Do not deny that beautiful promise
from being made
because it may change.

Do not deny yourself that one
wholehearted encounter
because it may end in departure.

There must be something
that will remain.

Remain to be a permanent imprint
so that

So that

Even those whom I have never met
will know

How much, how deeply,

I have loved you.

印記 (席慕容)

不要因為也許會改變
就不肯說那句美麗的誓言
不要因為也許會分離
就不敢求一次傾心的相遇
總有一些什麼
會留下來的吧
留下來作一件不滅的印記
好讓　好讓那些
不相識的人也能知道
我曾經怎樣深深地愛過你

Poetry, Translations, Xi Murong 席慕容 Poetry, Translation, Xi Murong 席慕容

Thanks to the ATA conference being held in NYC this year, I had the most wonderful pleasure of meeting with the lovely gentleman Alejandro Moreno-Ramos, the author of the Mox comics, and his beautiful wife.

I’ve heard many people say that translators are often anti-social (or socially awkward) people because they are always home alone doing their work. There’s very little outside contact. That is very true (the home alone part), but some of us like going out to meet new people and have varied interests too.

We had come into contact when I linked his online comic on this website. He tracked the link back to me and then we made plans to meet and feast when he’s in NYC for the ATA conference. I am truly thankful for all the wonderful people that I’ve met because of my profession.

I took them to Minca for ramen (gave them a list of foods to choose from), then to (of course) Cha-an for desserts. They seemed to really like both places and agree with me that the black sesame creme brulee was probably one of the best desserts that they’d ever had. It was a true pleasure to see others enjoy food that I love! Alejandro was also kind enough to draw me a little mini-comic at Cha-An. WHOO! I can’t express how excited I am! My own cameo in the famous Mox comics!!!

Souvenir!

Thought bubbles:
Alex:I want an amazing toilet too! (referring to the wonderful women’s bathroom at Cha-An)
H (name hidden for privacy reasons): Finally, I met someone “foodier” than I am!
Aka: They’re very nice but they’re awful with chopsticks!

So… this post is mainly to let people know that – YES! We translators have lives! And we like to be social too!

And of course… that friendships can come very easily if you’re willing to make yourself available to receive them.

Translations, VoCaL ATA, Cha-an, Mox, New York City, Translation