Seven versions of ‘You Are the April of This World’

你是人间的四月天——一句爱的赞颂

林徽因

wǒ shuō nǐ shì rén jiān de sì yuè tiān

我说你是人间的四月天；

xiào xiǎng diǎn liàng le sì miàn fēng

笑响点亮了四面风；

qīng líng zài chūn de guāng yàn zhōng jiāo wǔ zhe biàn

轻灵在春的光艳中交舞着变。

nǐ shì sì yuè zǎo tiān lǐ de yún yān

你是四月早天里的云烟，

huáng hūn chuī zhe fēng de ruǎn

黄昏吹着风的软，

xīng zi zài wú yì zhōng shǎn

星子在无意中闪，

xì yǔ diǎn sǎ zài huā qián

细雨点洒在花前。

nà qīng ，nà pīng tíng ，nǐ shì

那轻，那娉婷，你是，

xiān yán bǎi huā de guàn miǎn nǐ dài zhe

鲜妍百花的冠冕你戴着，

nǐ shì tiān zhēn ，zhuāng yán

你是天真，庄严，

nǐ shì yè yè de yuè yuán

你是夜夜的月圆。

xuě huà hòu nà piàn é huáng ，nǐ xiàng

雪化后那片鹅黄，你像；

xīn xiān chū fàng yá de lǜ ，nǐ shì

新鲜初放芽的绿，你是；

róu nèn xǐ yuè

柔嫩喜悦，

shuǐ guāng fú dòng zhe nǐ mèng qī dài zhōng bái lián

水光浮动着你梦期待中白莲。

nǐ shì yī shù yī shù de huā kāi

你是一树一树的花开，

shì yàn zài liáng jiān ne nán

是燕在梁间呢喃，

——nǐ shì ài ，shì nuǎn ，shì xī wàng

——你是爱，是暖，是希望，

nǐ shì rén jiān de sì yuè tiān

你是人间的四月天！

You Are the April of This World

– Ode to Love

Lin Huiyin

I think you are the April of this world,

Sure, you are the April of this world.

Your laughter has lit up all the wind,

So gently mingling with the spring.

You are the clouds in early spring,

The dusk wind blows up and down.

And the stars blink now and then,

Fine rain drops down amid the flowers.

So gentle and graceful,

You are crowned with garlands.

So sublime and innocent,

You are a full moon over each evening.

The snow melts, with that light yellow,

You look like the first budding green.

You are the soft joy of white lotus

Rising up in your fancy dreamland.

You're the blooming flowers over the trees,

You're a swallow twittering between the beams;

Full of love, full of warm hope,

You are the spring of this world!

Translated by 黄新渠（huáng xīn qú）

Shall I Compare Thee to an April Day?

–A Psalm of Love

Lin Huiyin

Shall I compare thee to an April Day?

Thou laughter has lifted up breezes far and near,

And swiftly, dazzled everything in the vernal air.

Thee are the thin mist rising in the April dawn,

The evening breeze coming soft, the stars winking.

For naught, and the drizzles soaking the bugs in thirst.

The delicacy, the grace characteristics thee; Sublime

The crown of flowers belongs to thee. Innocent,

Sacred, thee are the full moon shining high every night!

In the ivory field of newly melted snow, I see you

And in the newly sprouted shoots of green emerald,

In the white lily opening joyfully in the shimmering lake!

Thee are the flowers in bloom, and swallows whistling

On the beam. Thee are love, warmth, a beautiful poem,

And after all—thee are the most lovely April day of charm!

Translated by 李珍 (lǐ zhēn）

You Are the April of the World

–A Tribute to Love

Lin Huiyin

You are the April of the world, I say;

Your laughing shines the wind on either side;

The spring flashes with ever-changing light.

You are the cloud and mist early in April,

At dusk blowing the soft wind, stars twinkling

At ease, fine rains drizzling on the flowers.

You are so gentle, so graceful, wearing

A beautiful crown of a hundred fresh flowers;

Naïve and stately, you are the full moon at night.

Like the light yellow of melting snow, like

The fresh green of budding, you are so pleased,

White lotus floating on the water of your dream.

You are the flowers in bloom, the swallow

Whispering on the beams; you are the warm love,

You are the hope, the April of the world!

Translated by 海岸 (hǎi àn)

You Were My Human April-Day

–My Lovely Praise to You

Lin Huiyin

In my Spring World, let me say

You were my human April-day,

You smile at the free wind lightly and lively.

The sunshine was in dancing alternatively.

You were of the cloudy mist in the early April,

The gentle wind was blowing at dusk in the vernal,

Stars were glistering without any goal.

In front of flowers, sprinkling was the drizzle.

So light, so graceful, were you!

Everywhere was fresh and beautiful.

That 100-flower-crown you wore was of the royal.

Really were you

Naïve, dignified, you seem the full moon

That shines every night through my window.

After snow melt, you seemed to be in light yellow;

And also you were freshly green, tender and joyful

As water light fluctuating in a dream,

You long for a white lotus blooming to you.

You seemed to be trees with blossoms or some swallows.

My porch was with your twittering, love and warmth from you.

You were my human April-day; you were my hope!

Translated by 朱曼华 (zhū màn huá)

You Are This World's April Day

– An Eulogy of Love

Lin Huiyin

I say you are this world's April day

Your giggle lights up wind from all around

Your spirit in the brilliance of spring dances a roundelay

You are the cloud on an early April day

The dusk breathes to the soft of the wind

The stars twinkle an unconscious ray

The drizzle sprinkles the flowers gay

So light, so lithe, you are the bright fay

The floral crown you wear

In your innocent and grave way

You are the full moon night by night

Yellow like a gosling when snow thaws you look

Tender as the greenness of a new sprout you are

How delicate, o hurray

In the light of water your dreamlike white lotus flowers sway

You are the flowers blooming tree after tree

And the swallows on the beam chirping a lay

You are the love, the warmth, and the hope

You are this world's April day

Translated by 赵彦春 (zhào yàn chūn）

Shall I Compare Thee to an April Spring?

– Ode to Love

Lin Huiyin

Shall I compare thee to an April Spring?

Thine chortle is all around the breeze wheeing.

Thou art shedding thy brisk brightness, dancing.

Shall I compare thee to April morn cloud?

Roving in the soft dusk wind, art thou proud,

Beholding stars twinkling unawares,

Brewing the drizzles to water flowers.

Shall I compare thee to a babe dainty?

Thou art wreathed with fresh flowers in plenty.

Innocent, sublime and bright;

Thou art the full moon round from night to night.

Thou art the light yellow after snow fades.

Thou art the green sprout shooting out of shades.

Delicate, delightful and glee,

In the water floats the shimmering white lotus thou dream.

Thou art mellow blossoms from tree to tree.

Thou art the swallow twittering in the roof beam.

– Thou art Love, Warmth and Hope.

Shall I compare thee to an April Spring?

Translated by 许景城 (xǔ jǐng chéng)

I Compare You to Lovely April Days

– A Piece of Love Eulogy

Lin Huiyin

I compare you, my beloved, to lovely April days.

When your giggling charm enlightens the breezes astray,

Rising lightness be your dancing shapes, tiptoeing the gorgeous spring rays.

You are my early April cloud;

Eventide softness where winds linger in steps proud.

Starry sparkles, a careless note,

Modest raindrops over the blooms in a whisper silently loud.

Lightness, fairness, and freshness are your floral crest,

Naïve grandness is the embrace of your chest

You, every touch of a round moon holding my breath.

Yellowish green is your budding blade,

When the wintry snow fades;

Tender rejoicing be your dreamy lilies in the rippling parade.

Your are trees heavy with flowers merry and gay;

Like keen swallows, under every roof, you gently chatter away，

In thy name of love and warm hopes, you are a lovely April day!

Translated by 齐文昱 (qí wén yù)