28 Nov 2022: "The Ballad of Mulan" trabscribed by Zhijiang

 "The Ballad of Mulan was first transcribed in the Musical Records of Old and New,[note 3] a compilation of books and songs by the monk Zhijiang in the Southern Chen dynasty in the 6th century."

Original Chinese 

木 蘭 詩

唧唧復唧唧,木蘭當戶織。不聞機杼聲,唯聞女嘆息。

問女何所思?問女何所憶?“女亦無所思,女亦無所憶。

昨夜見軍帖,可汗大點兵。軍書十二卷,卷卷有爺名。

阿爺無大兒,木蘭無長兄。願為市鞍馬,從此替爺征。”

東市買駿馬,西市買鞍韉,南市買轡頭,北市買長鞭。

朝辭爺娘去,暮宿黃河邊。不聞爺娘喚女聲,但聞黃河流水鳴濺濺。

旦辭黃河去,暮至黑山頭。不聞爺娘喚女聲,但聞燕山胡騎聲啾啾。

萬裡赴戎機,關山度若飛。朔氣傳金析,寒光照鐵衣。將軍百戰死,壯士十年歸。

歸來見天子,天子坐明堂。策勛十二轉,賞賜百千強。

可汗問所欲,“木蘭不用尚書郎,願借明駝千裡足,送兒還故鄉。”

爺娘聞女來,出郭相扶將﹔阿姊聞妹來,當戶理紅妝﹔

小弟聞姊來,磨刀霍霍向豬羊。開我東閣門,坐我西閣床﹔

脫我戰時袍,著我舊時裳﹔當窗理雲鬢,對鏡帖花黃。

出門看火伴,火伴皆驚惶。“同行十二年,不知木蘭是女郎。”

雄兔腳扑朔,雌兔眼迷離。雙兔傍地走,安能辯我是雄雌?


 

“The Ballad of Mulan” translation by Evan Mantyk 

Sigh after sigh she sadly sighs
__While weaving near the door—
No sound of spinning loom that flies
__Just Mulan feeling poor.

Go ask her whom she thinks about,
__What boy is in her heart.
She says, “There’s none I think about,
__There’s no boy in my heart.

“Last night I saw the army’s list
__Of those the Khan has picked.
On all twelve draft lists that exist
__My father’s name is ticked.

“My father has no grown-up son
__Who can to battle race.
Once buying horse and saddle are done,
__I’ll take my father’s place.”

She buys a fine steed in the East,
__A bridle in the South,
A saddle blanket in the West,
__A long whip in the North.

At dawn, to parents bids farewell,
__At dusk, to camp hello;
No sounds of their familiar yell,
__Just Yellow River flow.

At dawn, she leaves the Yellow River,
__At dusk, Black Mountains soar;
No sound of parents calling daughter,
__Just wild horsemen’s roar.

Ten thousand miles for war she goes,
__Through mountain passes flying.
The sentry’s gong on cold wind blows;
__Her iron armor’s shining.

A hundred battles—generals die;
__In ten years, heroes surface
To meet the Emperor on high
__Enthroned in splendid palace.

He holds twelve scrolls that list their deeds,
__Gives thousands of rewards.
The Khan asks Mulan what she needs.
__“No titles fit for lords,”

She says, “To borrow a swift steed
__And ride home I prefer.”
Her parents, hearing of this deed,
__Rush out to welcome her.

When older sister hears the news,
__She dresses, waits, and looks.
When younger brother hears the news,
__The swine and sheep he cooks.

She says, “The chamber door I open
__And sit upon my chair.
My wartime uniform is shaken;
__My old time dress I wear.”

She faces out the window, looking,
__Fixing cloudlike hair,
And turns then to the mirror, hooking
__Yellow flowers there.

Out of the gate she meets the men
__Who’d by her side once fought.
For twelve years Mulan was a man,
__Or so they all had thought!

The male hares’ feet go hop and skip
__And female hares look muddled,
But when they run at a good clip,
__How can’t one get befuddled?



"The Ballad of Mulan (Ode of Mulan)" translation by Han H. Frankel

Tsiek tsiek and again tsiek tsiek,
Mulan weaves, facing the door.
You don’t hear the shuttle’s sound,
You only hear Daughter’s sighs.
They ask Daughter who’s in her heart,
They ask Daughter who’s on her mind.
“No one is on Daughter’s heart,
No one is on Daughter’s mind.
Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there’s Father’s name.
Father has no grown‑up son,
Mulan has no elder brother.
I want to buy a saddle and horse,
And serve in the army in Father’s place.”

In the East Market she buys a spirited horse,
In the West Market she buys a saddle,
In the South Market she buys a bridle,
In the North Market she buys a long whip.
At dawn she takes leave of Father and Mother,
In the evening camps on the Yellow River’s bank.
She doesn’t hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears the Yellow River’s flowing water cry tsien tsien.

At dawn she takes leave of the Yellow River,
In the evening she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn’t hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears Mount Yen’s nomad horses cry tsiu tsiu.
She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,
She crosses passes and mountains like flying.
Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,
Chilly light shines on iron armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Stout soldiers return after ten years.

On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall.
He gives out promotions in twelve ranks
And prizes of a hundred thousand and more.
The Khan asks her what she desires.
“Mulan has no use for a minister’s post.
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home.”

When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming
They go outside the wall to meet her, leaning on each other.
When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming
She fixes her rouge, facing the door.
When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming
He whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.
“I open the door to my east chamber,
I sit on my couch in the west room,
I take off my wartime gown
And put on my old‑time clothes.”
Facing the window she fixes her cloudlike hair,
Hanging up a mirror she dabs on yellow flower powder
She goes out the door and sees her comrades.
Her comrades are all amazed and perplexed.
Traveling together for twelve years
They didn’t know Mulan was a girl.
“The he‑hare’s feet go hop and skip,
The she‑hare’s eyes are muddled and fuddled.
Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?”



"Ballad of Mulan" translated by Wikisource

The sound of one sigh after another,
As Mulan weaves at the doorway.

No sound of the loom and shuttle,
Only that of the girl lamenting.

Ask her of whom she thinks,
Ask her for whom she longs.

"There is no one I think of,
There is no one I long for.

Last night I saw the army notice,
The Khan is calling a great draft –

A dozen volumes of battle rolls,
Each one with my father's name.

My father has no grown-up son,
And I have no elder brother.

I'm willing to buy a horse and saddle,
To go to battle in my father's place."


She buys a fine steed at the east market;
A saddle and blanket at the west market;

A bridle at the south market;
And a long whip at the north market.

She takes leave of her parents at dawn,
To camp beside the Yellow River at dusk.

No sound of her parents hailing their girl,
Just the rumbling waters of the Yellow River.

She leaves the Yellow River at dawn,
To reach the Black Mountains by dusk.

No sound of her parents hailing their girl,
Just the cries of barbarian cavalry in the Yan hills.


Ten thousand miles she rode in war,
Crossing passes and mountains as if on a wing.

On the northern air comes the sentry's gong,
Cold light shines on her coat of steel.

The general dead after a hundred battles,
The warriors return after ten years.


They return to see the Son of Heaven,
Who sits in the Hall of Brilliance.

The rolls of merit spin a dozen times,
Rewards in the hundreds and thousands.

The Khan asks her what she desires,
"I've no need for the post of a gentleman official,

I ask for the swiftest horse,
To carry me back to my hometown."


Her parents hearing their girl returns,
Out to the suburbs to welcome her back.

Elder sister hearing her sister returns,
Adjusts her rouge by the doorway.

Little brother hearing his sister returns,
Sharpens his knife for pigs and lamb.

"I open my east chamber door,
And sit on my west chamber bed.

I take off my battle cloak,
And put on my old-time clothes.

I adjust my wispy hair at the window sill,
And apply my bisque makeup by the mirror.

I step out to see my comrades-in-arms,
They are all surprised and astounded:

'We travelled twelve years together,
Yet didn't realise Mulan was a lady!'"


The buck bounds here and there,
Whilst the doe has narrow eyes.

But when the two rabbits run side by side,
How can you tell the female from the male?


17 Nov 2022: "Stufen" (Steps/Stages) by Hermann Hesse

Below I added several English translations I found. I didn't include any random translations without a credited translators. If anyone has another translation they prefer, please share it in the comments. I'd be interested in discussing the translations and or philosophical ideas in the comments. I'm going to print, reread, and reflect a bit more before sharing my thoughts. Read you in the comments!

"Stufen" by Hermann Hesse

Wie jede Blüte welkt und jede Jugend
Dem Alter weicht, blüht jede Lebensstufe,
Blüht jede Weisheit auch und jede Tugend
Zu ihrer Zeit und darf nicht ewig dauern.
Es muß das Herz bei jedem Lebensrufe
Bereit zum Abschied sein und Neubeginne,
Um sich in Tapferkeit und ohne Trauern
In andre, neue Bindungen zu geben.
Und jedem Anfang wohnt ein Zauber inne,
Der uns beschützt und der uns hilft, zu leben.

Wir sollen heiter Raum um Raum durchschreiten
An keinem wie an einer Heimat hängen,
Der Weltgeist will nicht fesseln uns und engen,
Er will uns Stuf’ um Stufe heben, weiten.
Kaum sind wir heimisch einem Lebenskreise
Und traulich eingewohnt, so droht Erschlaffen,
Nur wer bereit zu Aufbruch ist und Reise,
Mag lähmender Gewöhnung sich entraffen.

Es wird vielleicht auch noch die Todesstunde
Uns neuen Räumen jung entgegen senden
Des Lebens Ruf an uns wird niemals enden…
Wohlan denn, Herz, nimm Abschied und gesunde!



English Translations



"Steps" translated by Peter Lewis

Just as every blossom fades
and all youth yield to old age,
so every stage of life, each flower of wisdom
and every virtue reaches its prime and cannot last forever.
Whenever life calls, the heart must be ready to leave
and make a fresh start and to enter bravely
into different and new liaisons.
And a magic inhabits every new beginning,
protecting us and helping us to live.

We should joyfully traverse real and realm,
cleaving to none as to a home,
the world spirit does not seek to fetter us and hem us in
but to raise us up, step by step.
No sooner have we made ourselves at home and comfortable
in some sphere of life than we grow lax.
Only those who are prepared to venture forth
can cast off familiar, paralyzing old habits.

Maybe death's hour too will send us out newborn
toward new realms,
Life's call to us will never end...
Come then, my heart, take your leave and fire you well!



"Stages" translated by Richard and Clara Winston

As every flower fades and as all youth
Departs, so life at every stage,
So every virtue, so our grasp of truth,
Blooms in its day and may not last forever.
Since life may summon us at every age
Be ready, heart, for parting, new endeavor,
Be ready bravely and without remorse
To find new light that old ties cannot give.
In all beginnings dwells a magic force
For guarding us and helping us to live.
Serenely let us move to distant places
And let no sentiments of home detain us.
The Cosmic Spirit seeks not to restrain us
But lifts us stage by stage to wider spaces.
If we accept a home of our own making,
Familiar habit makes for indolence.
We must prepare for parting and leave-taking
Or else remain the slaves of permanence.
Even the hour of our death may send
Us speeding on to fresh and newer spaces,
And life may summon us to newer races.
So be it, heart: bid farewell without end.



"Steps" translation by Walter A. Aue

Like ev'ry flower wilts, like youth is fading
and turns to age, so also one's achieving:
Each virtue and each wisdom needs parading
in one's own time, and must not last forever.
The heart must be, at each new call for leaving,
prepared to part and start without the tragic,
without the grief - with courage to endeavor
a novel bond, a disparate connection:
For each beginning bears a special magic
that nurtures living and bestows protection.

We'll walk from space to space in glad progression
and should not cling to one as homestead for us.
The cosmic spirit will not bind nor bore us;
It lifts and widens us in ev'ry session:
For hardly set in one of life's expanses
we make it home, and apathy commences.
But only he, who travels and takes chances,
can break the habits' paralyzing stances.

It might be, even, that the last of hours
will make us once again a youthful lover:
The call of life to us forever flowers...
Anon, my heart: Say farewell and recover!



"Stages" translated by Susanne Fiessler

Like every blossom wilts, and youth must yield
to age, so every stage of life must flower,
Like every wisdom, every virtue blooms
in its own time, and cannot last forever.
Our heart must be prepared at every call
of life, to bid farewell and start anew,
To give ourselves with valiance and no grief
to other, novel bonds out in the world.
And every new beginning holds a spell
that will protect us and will help us live.

We are to stride with joy through the expanses,
not hook our hearts to each place like a home
The cosmic spirit does not limit, shackle,
yet, stage by stage, it seeks to lift, expand us.
We're barely settled cosy in life's circle
and feel familiarized, when languor looms.
Only those prepared to leave and travel
just might escape the numbing habitudes.

Maybe the hour of our death will send,
yet, reborn, us to explore new spaces,
Because life's call to us will never end...
Go on then, heart, go bid farewell and heal!



"Stages" translated by Alan Collins

As every flower fades, and every youth
Turns grey, so also one’s achievements,
Each virtue and wisdom must submit more proof

At every step, passing through bereavements. 

At each new call the heart must be
 prepared
To part, at once, and start another kind of living
With courage to create, from grief and panic, 

Another novel bond, not sad but stronger: 

For each beginning bears a special magic 

Which nurtures all that breathes, by its aroma.

We walk from place to place in glad progression, 

And cannot cling to any place as home.

The spirit of the world will not bind or bore us, 

But wants to lift us up and over every session.
If set and fixed, in one of these expansions,

We stay at home, then apathy commences;
For only he who travels, takes one’s chances,

Can break the old hypnotic habit’s lances.

Perhaps it may be true that our dying hours 

Will send, anew, another youthful lover: 

The call of life, to us, forever flowers… 

And so, my heart: Go onward and recover!



"Steps" translated by Uda Goode

As every flower wilts, and all youth gives way to old age,
Each step on the journey of life blooms.
Each insight, too, and every truth believed in
Flowers in its own time
And may not last for ever.

At every call of life, the heart must be ready to depart
And to start anew.
To be courageous, not full of sorrow,
And then to make new bonds, and new connections.

And in each new beginning dwells a magic, an enchantment,
That protects us
And helps us
To live.

It is essential that we walk and move from one stage of our lives to the next
With joy!
Not to try to grasp and keep hold of a particular one
As we might onto a childhood toy or memory.

The spirit of the world and that of life does not intend to strangle or subdue us.
We are being willed to grow, to broaden, and to live,
Step … by step.

As soon as we become too familiar and comfortable with one particular stage or room,
The energy from it begins to fail.
Only those who are prepared to break camp
And venture forth
Can free themselves from that sapping of energy.

Even when we are at death’s hour,
We may be sent to yet another realm,
New stage,
New step on our way:
Our hearts full of the spirit of adventure,
Youthful again.



"Steps" translated by Simon Wilks

As every flower and every youth
moves into age, each phase of life bursts forth;
Each pearl of wisdom, and each virtue, blooms
According to its time, but none can last forever.
The heart must at each summoning of life
Be ready to depart and begin anew
Taking courage in itself and, without tears,
Giving itself to new and different bonds.
Within each new beginning lives a magic
that protects us and which helps us live.
We must blithely stride from world to world
Considering none as home.

The spirit of the earth will neither bind us nor restrict
but will, from stage to stage, raise and broaden us.
If we should settle in a sphere of life,
And feel complacent, then we lose our grip.
Only those prepared to break away and travel
Can break the shackles of familiarity.

Even at the hour of death, perhaps, it will
Send us, young again, to new worlds
Life’s call to us will never end
Take heart, my heart, take leave and fare you well.



"Stages" translated by Google

Like every blossom fades and every youth
Age gives way, every stage of life flourishes,
Every wisdom blooms too, and every virtue
In its time and must not last forever.
The heart must with every calling of life
Be ready for goodbyes and new beginnings,
To stand up in bravery and without grief
In others, to give new bonds.
And there is magic in every beginning
Who protects us and who helps us to live.

We should happily walk through room after room
Clinging to none like a home
The world spirit does not want to tie us up and restrict us,
He wants to raise us step by step, widen us.
Hardly are we at home in a circle of life
And snugly settled in, then slackening threatens,
Only those who are ready to set off and travel,
May break free from paralyzing habit.

It may also be the hour of death
Send us young towards new spaces
Life's call to us will never end...
Well then, heart, say goodbye and be well!