“Love Song” Translated by Suphil Lee Park

Found in Willow Springs 92

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사랑 노래

BY HEO NANSEOLHEON (허난설헌)

 

공령탄 입구에 비가 처음 개니
무협은 창창하고 안개 구름처럼 평평해
한이 많아라, 임의 마음 조수와도 같으니
이른 시간 잠시 물러갔다 저물 때 다시 오네

LOVE SONG

TRANSLATED BY SUPHIL LEE PARK

  Rapids takes a pleasure boat
Blue or bluer fog clouds all
Good grief-your heart too is tides
Ebbs at dawn, returns at dusk

 

Translator’s Notes

Love Song: Literally translated, the title refers to a specific verse form (that mostly has to do with love story poetry and folktales) that usually consists of four stanzas. This poem is the first stanza of a longer poem.

Rapids: 空舲灘 refers to a specific river, but 空舲 also means a pleasure boat, so the first three characters are intended for a double meaning and would bring to mind a pleasure boat on this river.