[English Translation] 王詩安 Diana Wang - Poem (一步成詩 yi bu cheng shi)

作詞 Lyricist：周耀輝 Chow Yiu-fai

作曲 Composer：方大同 Kahlil Fong

編曲 Music Arranger：Derrick Sepnio

東風夜放花千樹

The east wind blooms thousands of flowers and trees at night,

樹下總有地

there is always ground for trees to root on.

縱然寶馬雕車飄香滿路

Despite the scented trails of the luxurious horse-drawn carriages,

路上可有你

you were not there on my journey

走在大城市 過著小日子

Wandering through the big city, living a simple life,

只怕越來越只有事 沒有情

I’m afraid that only in the end only matters exist but not love

只怕永遠都會懷疑

I’m afraid that I’m gonna be skeptical forever

我走在何夕 你卻在何地

which night I am living through and you are at somewhere I don't know

算什麼距離

What is the distance between us?

靠什麼運氣

What kinds of luck we are bestowing?

我和你之間 差了一步還是千里

Between us, is there just one step or a thousand miles

由什麼開始 沒什麼道理

What does it start with, there isn't any big reason

有沒有之間 不要忘記

between the options of "have" or "don't have", please don't forget

有人走過七步成他的詩

Someone in the past wrote his poem in the time of taking seven footsteps

願我一步有我的你

I wish I could turn you into my poem with only one step

春花陪我在這裡

Spring blossoms are here with me

一個人等著更美麗

it makes the lonely waiting more beautiful

秋月在哪裡

Where the autumn moon is

一個人等著愛你

there I am waiting to love you

眾裡尋他千百度

Thousands time of searching for the only one in the crowds,

萬里無故事

there aren't any good stories I can tell

只要你在燈火闌珊之處

but only if I see you waiting by that waning light

一步就成詩

I could write a poem (about you) in just one-step time

走在大城市 過著小日子

Wandering through the big city, living a simple life,

只怕越來越只有事 沒有情

I’m afraid that only in the end only matters exist but not love

只怕永遠都會懷疑

I’m afraid that I’m gonna be skeptical forever

我走在何夕 你卻在何地

which night I am living through and you are at somewhere I don't know

算什麼距離

What is the distance between us?

靠什麼運氣

What kinds of luck we are bestowing?

我和你之間 差了一步還是千里

Between us, is there just one step or a thousand miles

由什麼開始 沒什麼道理

What does it start with, there isn't any big reason

有沒有之間 不要忘記

between the options of "have" or "don't have", please don't forget

有人走過七步成他的詩

Someone in the past wrote his poem in the time of taking seven footsteps

願我一步有我的你

I wish I could turn you into my poem with only one step

春花陪我在這裡

Spring blossoms are here with me

一個人等著更美麗

it makes the lonely waiting more beautiful

秋月在哪裡

Where the autumn moon is

一個人等著愛你

there I am waiting to love you

朝朝暮暮 反反覆覆

Days and nights, again and again

有多少漢字寫過一種小幸福

How many Chinese characters have been used to compose poems of this little blessing

金風有玉露 勝卻人間無數

We meet on the day when the autumn evening blows with the white dew,

it surpasses endless experiences

也許再多走一步 山水在遊戲

Perhaps one more step, we see the mountains and waters are having fun in the nature

再多走一步 天地做傳奇

and one more step, the world is creating legends

再多走一步 看我變成詩

and one more step, you can see me turn into a poem

就為了你

just for you

between the options of "have" or "don't have", please don't forget

有人走過七步成他的詩

Someone in the past wrote his poem in the time of taking seven footsteps

願我一步有我的你

I wish I could turn you into my poem with only one step

春花陪我在這裡

Spring blossoms are here with me

一個人等著更美麗

it makes the lonely waiting more beautiful

秋月在哪裡

Where the autumn moon is

一個人等著愛你

there I am waiting to love you

眾裡尋他千百度

Thousands time of searching for the only one in the crowds,

萬里無故事

there aren't any good stories I can tell

只要你在燈火闌珊之處

but only if I see you waiting by that waning light

一步就成詩

I could write a poem (about you) in just one-step time

Lyrics Video:

Original Music Video:

Afterwords:

I'm always a casual listener of Khalil Fong and I was so excited when he released this song that he produced for his artist Diana Wang. Chow Yiu-fai is also one of my favourite lyricists in Hong Kong. The song "poem" is written not only in Chinese, but also in a bit of ancient Chinese. That is why this is such a difficult piece to translate. I hate that I have to use more complex words to translate the lyrics, but at the same time, you can't just contain the deep meaning of the words here just with a few English words. So, I decided that the expression of meaning is more important and I would rather keep the meaning instead of pursuing for simplicity. This is not only a song, but a poem indeed.

P.S: Around eight months ago, the hit rate of this song suddenly jumped up that I realized this was covered in Chuang 2020, an audition program in mainland China. My translation was then used in certain lyrics videos without crediting my effort. I was very disappointed at first, but luckily they did credit my work in the end and I'm happy that people did enjoy my work. Nothing makes me more happier than breaking the language barrier between people and let everyone enjoy music together.