Four Stanzas on Homesickness
乡愁四韵
Give me a scoop of the Yangzi River, oh, the Yangzi
给我一瓢长江水啊长江水
River like wine
酒一样的长江水
The taste of drunkenness
醉酒的滋味
Is the taste of homesickness
是乡愁的滋味
Give me a scoop of the Yangzi River, oh, the Yangzi
给我一瓢长江水啊长江水
Give me a red hibiscus, oh, red hibiscus
给我一张海棠红啊海棠红
Hibiscus as red as blood
血一样的海棠红
The scalding pain of seething blood
沸血的烧痛
Is the scalding pain of homesickness
是乡愁的烧痛
Give me a red hibiscus, oh, red hibiscus
给我一张海棠红啊海棠红
Give me a white snowflake, oh, white snowflake
给我一片雪花白啊雪花白
Snowflake as white as a letter
信一样的雪花白
To wait for a letter from home
家信的等待
Is to wait feeling homesick
是乡愁的等待
Give me a white snowflake, oh, white snowflake
给我一片雪花白啊雪花白
Give me a fragrant plum blossom, oh, plum blossom
给我一朵腊梅香啊腊梅香
Plum blossom as fragrant as Mother
母亲一样的腊梅香
Mother’s fragrance
母亲的芬芳
Is the fragrance of my native soil
是乡土的芬芳
Give me a fragrant plum blossom, oh, plum blossom
给我一朵腊梅香啊腊梅香