This week’s Read Paper Republic–a weekly sample of modern and contemporary Chinese literature in English translation for free–is Anna Gustafsson Chen’s translation of “Sorrow” 烦忧, by Dai Wangshu 戴望舒 (1905 – 1950). If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time Read Paper Republic has featured a poem. Here it is:
Say it’s the grief of lonely autumn
Say it’s the longing of distant seas
If someone asks about my sorrow
I do not dare to mention your name.I do not dare to mention your name.
If someone asks about my sorrow
Say it’s the longing of distant seas
Say it’s the grief of lonely autumn.烦忧
说是寂寞的秋的清愁，
说是辽远的海的相思。
假如有人问我的烦忧，
我不敢说出你的名字。我不敢说出你的名字，
假如有人问我的烦忧：
说是辽远的海的相思，
说是寂寞的秋的清愁。