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Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Wednesday, February 10

Feng Zhi - What can make you happy (Mandarin Chinese - English translation)

I am no Chinese speaker: I can only read a little Chinese. Thus, this translation shouldn't be considered reliable at all. It should be read just as a personal interpretation.

What can make you happy

Why are you never willing to give me a little laughter
if after all my voice is something that can make you happy?
If the rain makes you happy, my tears are also streaming like a torrent;
if it's the wind, my sighs are constantly heaving like the autumn wind.
You may be that proud and beautiful woman of ancient times,
who loved to listen to the sound of tearing silk —— 
oh, my life is also like a colored piece of silk,
and because of my longing for you, I rend and weave it in a thousand countless ties.

Why are you never willing to give me a little laughter
if after all my voice is something that can really make you happy?
If a flower makes you happy, my heart is also an open flower;
if it's water, my eyes are not a stagnant bay.
You may be that proud and beautiful woman of ancient worship,
who loved to watch the fires in war games —— 
oh, inside my heart a beacon has been burning for so long, high it burns for you,
it burns through all the surging of my blood, day and night it must not rest.

ORIGINAL TEXT

什么能够使你欢喜

冯至


你怎么总不肯给我一点笑声,
到底是什么声音能够使你欢喜?
如果是雨啊,我的泪珠儿也流了许多;
如果是风呢,我也常秋风一般地叹气。
你可真象是那古代的骄傲的美女,
专爱听裂帛的声息——
啊,我的时光本也是有用的彩绸一匹,
我为着期待你,已把它扯成了千丝万缕!

你怎么总不肯给我一点笑声,
到底是什么东西能够使你欢喜?
如果是花啊,我的心也是花一般地开着;
如果是水呢,我的眼睛也不是一湾死水。
你可真象是那古供的骄傲的美女,
专爱看烽火的游戏——
啊,我心中的烽火早已高高地为你燃起,
燃向全身的血液奔腾,日夜都不得安息!