Translation of “Tree on the Bluff” by Zeng Zhuo 曾卓“悬崖边的树”英译
“Tree on a Bluff” by Zēng Zhuō (1922-2002)
Rhyming loose translation
I know not what wind brought this tree
to this flatland’s edge on the bluff;
She listens for the far forest’s clamor
And signing of streams in the rough
It stands by itself all alone
Looking obstinate, and lonely;
Its body a mass of tangles,
Wind-twisted, bony.
It keeps the shape of the wind,
seems about to cave in,
and yet soon to spread wings and take flight.
2012.11.18 evening
Shanghai
Literal translation
I do not know what strange wind
blew a tree over there——
the end of a plain
on a crag overlooking the valley
It listens closely to the clamor of a far forest
and the singing of streams in the valley
It stands there alone
looking obstinate, and forlorn
Its crooked body
retains the shape of the wind
It looks ready to fall off into the valley
and yet about to spread wings and take flight……
1970
Original poem
悬崖边的树
曾卓
不知道是什么奇异的风
将一棵树吹到那边—–
平原的尽头
临近深谷的悬崖上
它倾听远处森林的喧哗
和深谷中小溪的歌唱
它孤独的站在那里
显得寂寞而又倔强
它的弯曲的身体
留下了风的形状
它似乎即将跌进深谷里
却又像要展翅飞翔……
一九七〇年