《咏柳》- 作者: 曾巩 (C-E)

自娱自乐

咏柳

作者: 曾巩

　
乱条犹未变初黄，倚得东风势便狂。
解把飞花蒙日月，不知天地有清霜。
To willows
The unruly willows haven’t turned from green to yellow,
Relying on the east wind, they madly and quickly grow.
Catkins are flying all over to obscure the moon and sun,
Without realization there is autumn frost that will follow.   

童天鉴日

来学习。自娱的译本读起来很地道，很优美。问好。

海外逸士

generally  better  use  "Ode to Willow".
if just "to willow",  it may mean you speak to willow.

自娱自乐

原帖由 海外逸士 于 2009-8-1 22:16:00 发表
generally  better  use  "Ode to Willow".
if just "to willow",  it may mean you speak to willow.

Thanks for your input as always!
Well, at any rate, ode, in terms of its definition in dictionary, means a poem that speaks to a person or thing.
So any big differences?

自娱自乐

谢谢！

青衫来客

I am sorry to say that you seem to have some wrong understanding of the first line. 犹未变初黄means that it did not go through the required growing period, that is to say, the willow would turn pale or light yellow first and then green in the spring.

自娱自乐

Well, yeah, could be, I would say.
Maybe it is better to use 'before the unruly willows are turning yellow'

青衫来客

That is great, my buddy.