鄧麗君 《在水一方》 (the Girl Yonder)

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .
鄧麗君 《在水一方》 Teresa Teng
鄧麗君 《在水一方》 Teresa Teng

Title: 在水一方. Singer: 鄧麗君 (Teresa Deng). Lyrics: 琼瑶. Music: 林家庆. Translation: 李杀 (Xah Lee).

绿草苍苍,白雾茫茫,
有位佳人,在水一方。

绿草萋萋,白雾迷离,
有位佳人,靠水而居。

我愿逆流而上,
依偎在她身旁。
无奈前有险滩,
道路又远又长。

我愿顺流而下,
找寻她的方向。
却见依稀仿佛,
她在水的中央。

我愿逆流而上,
与她轻言细语。
无奈前有险滩,
道路曲折无已。

我愿顺流而下,
找寻她的踪迹。
却见仿佛依稀,
她在水中佇立。

绿草苍苍,白雾茫茫,
有位佳人,在水一方。
vast grasslands, immense sky of clouds
there is a lady, across the water

verdant green grass, misty white clouds
there is this lady, she lives by the water

i would go up-stream
to be with her
even if there are obstacles
even if the road is long

i would go down-stream
to look for her
far away vaguely i see
she's right there

i would go up-stream
to whisper in her ears
even if there are dangerous waves
even if the road is unpaved

i would go down-stream
searching for her footsteps
far away vaguely i see
she's waiting for me

vast grasslands, immense sky of clouds
there is a lady, across the water
萋 qī
verdant.
依稀
vaguely. 仿佛 means the same.
踪迹
踪 = 踨. (abstractly) the trail of footsteps.
佇 zhù
standing for long, or, waiting.

The lyrics is based on a ancient poem 蒹葭, of 先秦 (221 BC). Author unknown.

蒹葭蒼蒼,白露爲霜。所謂伊人,在水一方,溯洄從之,道阻且長。溯游從之,宛在水中央。
蒹葭萋萋,白露未晞。所謂伊人,在水之湄。溯洄從之,道阻且躋。溯游從之,宛在水中坻。
蒹葭采采,白露未已。所謂伊人,在水之涘。溯洄從之,道阻且右。溯游從之,宛在水中沚。
蒹葭 jiān jiā
荻草與蘆葦。
Amur silvergrass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus)
蘆葦
common reed (Phragmites australis)
溯 sù
(泝、遡) 本義:端直地逆流而上
洄 huí
本義:逆流而上
涘 sì
水边。
宛 wǎn
委婉;婉轉. 本義:彎曲
躋 jī
說文解字:《足部》躋:登也。从足齊聲
沚 zhǐ
水中的小块陆地: 洲沚。
common weed 2020-11-11 Mnq57
common weed 2020-11-11 Mnq57
荻草 (Amur silvergrass)