Searching, seeking

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by Li Qingzhao (c1084 - c1151)

Translation © by Kairui (Kerry) Zhou

声声慢

Language: Chinese (中文)

Our translations: ENG ENG

寻寻觅觅 
冷冷清清 
凄凄惨惨戚戚
乍暖还寒时候 
最难将息
三杯两盏淡酒 
怎敌他晚来风急
雁过也 
正伤心 
却是旧时相识
满地黄花堆积 
憔悴损 
如今有谁堪摘
守著窗儿 
独自怎生得黑
梧桐更兼细雨 
到黄昏点点滴滴
这次第 
怎一个愁字了得

Text Authorship:

by Li Qingzhao (c1084 - c1151), "声声慢" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946) , "Verzweiflung", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [an adaptation] ; composed by Krzysztof Penderecki.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Qi Feng Wu) , "Sheng Sheng Man", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Kairui (Kerry) Zhou) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2021-04-19
Line count: 19
Word count: 19

Searching, seeking

Language: English after the Chinese (中文)

Searching, seeking,
Yet only finding that chill, desolate emptiness,
How could it not evoke a pitiable, woeful sorrow?
Autumn always suddenly warms,
And soon turns cold —
Most difficult to nurture rest. 
With cups after cups of light wine,
How could one withstand the cold evening breeze blowing tight?
Geese fly over,
Leaving a wound in my heart,
For they remind the ones I see back in hometown.
Yellow mums heap up in the garden,
Yet only I, forlorn and lean from grief,
Now, who can pluck them?
Guarding the window, 
How can one endure until darkness falls alone?
On paulownia leaves, fine rain drips and drops.
Dripping until darkness claims the world. 
How can a single word sorrow possibly summarizes it all?!

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Text Authorship:

Translation from Chinese (中文) to English copyright © 2023 by Kairui (Kerry) Zhou, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Chinese (中文) by Li Qingzhao (c1084 - c1151), "声声慢"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2023-08-25
Line count: 19
Word count: 123