Xin Qiji: In My Youth I Knew Not What Were Grief And Woe 辛棄疾 少年不識愁滋味 愛上層樓 Poem by Frank Yue

TUNE: Chou Nu Er "Ugly Boy-Servant"/
Cai Sang Zi "Picking Mulberries"
TITLE: "Written on a Wall on the Way to Boshan"
- by Xin Qiji (1140-1207)
- Translated by Frank C Yue

In my youth I knew not what were grief and woe -
Up the storeys I loved to go.
Up the storeys I loved to go,
For my new songs I just feigned my grief and woe!

Of grief and woe I've tasted the flavours today -
I'd like to talk but just wouldn't say;
I'd like to talk but just wouldn't say,
O! What a chilly Autumn, what a fine day!



and a fine rendition by - 夜月星河 'Night Moon Starry River':

While young I failed to know the taste of woe.
I climbed upstairs with gusto;
I climbed upstairs with gusto.
I used to write new songs with fake sorrow.

Now I know the taste of grief as I grow.
Try to speak but I stall though;
Try to speak but I stall though.
" A cool fall day! "I finally say so.


(2014.08.01)


《醜奴兒/采桑子‧書博山道中壁》
南宋 ‧ 辛棄疾

少年不識愁滋味，
愛上層樓，
愛上層樓;
為赋新詞強說愁。

而今識盡愁滋味，
欲說還休，
欲說還休;
卻道天凉好個秋。


Now, for a better appreciation of this famous xin qiji long-and-short verse, let's see how some of the masters of translation do their own rendition.

Rendition 1
-by 林語堂 Lin Yutang(1895 - 1976)

In my young days,
I had tasted only gladness,
But loved to mount the top floor,
But loved to mount the top floor,
To write a song pretending sadness.

And now I have tasted
Sorrow's flavours, bitter and sour,
And can't find a word,
And can't find a word.
But merely say, "What a golden autumn hour!


Rendition 2
-by 楊憲益 Yang Xianyi (1915－2009)

"Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan -to the Melody Chou Nu Er"

As a lad I never knew the taste of sorrow,
But loved to climb towers,
Loved to climb towers,
And drag sorrow into each new song I sung.

Now I know well the taste of sorrow,
It is on the tip of my tongue,
On the tip of my tongue,
But instead I say, "What a fine, cool autumn day! "


Rendition 3
-by 唐安石神父 Fr. John A.Turner (? -1971)

"Enlightenment"

In youth, ere Grief to me was known
I loved to climb on high, I loved to climb on high:
In many a laboured lay
Grief would I there portray.

But now, with Grief familiar grown,
Slower to speak am I, slower to speak am I.
At most, I pause and say,
"What a fine autumn day! "


Rendition 4
-by 許淵沖 Xu Yuanchong（1921－ ）

Tune: "Song of Ugly Slave - Written on the Wall on My Way to Boshan"

While young, I knew no grief I could not bear;
I'd like to go upstairs.
I'd like to go upstairs
To write new verses with a false despair.


I know what grief is now that I am old;
I would not have it told.
I would not have it told,
But only say I'm glad that autumn's cold.


Rendition 5
-Andrew W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa)譯者: 黃宏發
23 May 2007 (revised 18.7.07; 5.12.07; further revised...30.11.10)

Xin Qiji (1140-1207)
Tune: "Chou Nu Er (The Ugly Page) "/
"Cai Sang Zi (Picking Mulberries) "
Title: "Written on a Wall on the Way to Boshan"

1When young I never did know the taste of woe or sorrow,
2To the top floor upstairs, I loved to go;
3To the top floor upstairs, I loved to go,
4For to compose new verses, I feigned my sorrow and woe.

5Now that sorrow and woe I've tasted, and the bitterness withal,
6To speak, I wish, and yet I stall;
7To speak, I wish, and yet I stall,
8What a beautifully chilly autumn! I say, after all.