Chinese Song Translation (茉莉花）

[思考题]

Over the past 6 months I've taken an avid interest in Chinese language songs as a productive means of studying and supplementing my Mandarin.

With friends' encouragement, I have undertaken the posting of English translations of both widespread classics and some of my personal favorites.

My interest does not lie in literal, word for word translation. Certain words and phrases, though poignant in their native Mandarin context,

sound ambiguous or halting in English. Rather I aim to express the feeling of each song -- as if the lyrics were as natural to sing in translated

English as they were in the original Chinese. I am not avoiding literal interpretation, so much not allowing it to interfere with the tone or

underlying concepts of each song.

While I encourage any questions, 'quires and qualms, my hope is that rather than simple criticism, we instead make constructive suggestions with specific examples.

My initial words are not the end all, but rather the instigation of further creation.

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Songs don’t get much more famous than this one: 茉莉花

For a online recording of the song, &cat=0&gate=1&ct=134217728&tn=baidumt,%DC%D4%C0%F2%BB%A8++&si=%DC%D4%C0%F2%BB%A8;;%BA%DA%D1%BC%D7%D3;;70694;;70694&lm=-1&mtid=2&d=8&size=1677721&attr=0,0&titlekey=499135533,163495531&mtype=1"]CLICK HERE

好一朵美丽的茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。A beautiful jasmine flower,

好一朵美丽的茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。A beautiful jasmine flower,

芬芳美丽满枝桠 。。。。。。。。。。。 The wonderful fragrance of its stem,

又香又白人人夸。。。。。。。。。。。 Both scented and white, a wonder to all,

不让谁把心摘下。。。。。。。。。。。 Who give her heart to nobody,

就等那个人爱呀。。。。。。。。。。。 Still waiting for the one

茉莉花呀茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。。 Jasmine flower, Jasmine flower

谁当我情人。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 Who will be the one?

茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 Jasmine Flower,

你说我真好。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 You say I’m beautiful,

什么都好 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 Beautiful in every way,

谁当我情人做梦都会笑。。。。。。。。Whoever is my prince, will smile in his sleep,

我忘着窗外的街角。。。。。。。。。。。I forget about the world,

看到辛酸走来幸福走掉。。。。。。。。I have seen bitterness overcome happiness,

你说我真好。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。You say I’m beautiful,

比谁都好。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Beautiful in every way,

有适合的人要帮我介绍 。。。。。。。Do you know who my prince is?

如果我真的那么好 。。。。。。。。。。If I’m that beautiful?

你为什么不要 。。。。。。。。。。。。。Why do you leave me alone?

为什么不要 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Why am I alone?

呜呼......。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。Oh-hum...

好一朵美丽的茉莉花 。。。。。。。。。A beautiful jasmine flower,

好一朵美丽的茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。A beautiful jasmine flower,

芬芳美丽满枝桠 。。。。。。。。。。。。The wonderful fragrance of its stem,

又香又白人人夸 。。。。。。。。。。。。Both scented and white, a wonder to all,

茉莉花呀茉莉花。。。。。。。。。。。。Jasmine flower, Jasmine flower.

The song uses a Jasmine flower as a metaphor for a girl, who is enjoying her coming of age while lamenting in her loneliness.

[jessiejin]

《茉莉花》

家乡民歌，是我们的市歌哎 ：）。