Chinese in Focus

暴风雨来临那一天

bào fēng yǔ lái lín nà yī tiān

The day when the storm came,

迷途的羔羊还没回来
mí tú de gāo yáng hái méi huí lái

the lost sheep had not come back.

铁匠铺传来了叮当叮当声
tiě jiàng pù chuán lái le dīng dāng dīng dāng shēng

From the smithy came the tinkle.

这一切没有想像的那么糟
zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

丰盛的酒席已准备好
fēng shèng de jiǔ xí yǐ zhǔn bèi hǎo

A sumptuous feast was ready,

尊贵的客人却没来到
zūn guì de kè rén què méi lái dào

yet the distinguished guests had not arrived.

熟睡的女儿露出笑靥
shú shuì de nǚ ér lù chū xiào yè

The sleeping daughter smiled.

这一切没有想像的那么糟
zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

想捕捉一只美丽蜻蜓
xiǎng bǔ zhuō yī zhī měi lì qīng tíng

When trying to capture a beautiful dragonfly,

却打碎自己心爱的花瓶
què dǎ suì zì jǐ xīn ài de huā píng

you broke your favorite vase.

燕子飞回了屋檐下的巢
yàn zǐ fēi huí le wū yán xià de cháo

The swallows flew back to the nest under the eaves.

这一切没有想像的那么糟
zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

每天都要精心的灌溉
měi tiān dōu yào jīng xīn de guàn gài

Being watered with care every day,

兰花却一天天的垂败
lán huā què yī tiān tiān de chuí bài

the orchids were still withering away.

清风送来了杏花香
qīng fēng sòng lái le xìng huā xiāng

The breeze brought the scent of apricot.

这一切没有想像的那么糟
zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

要爬上山顶去看风景
yào pá shàng shān dǐng qù kàn fēng jǐng

You wanted to climb up the hill to see the scenery,

可走到山腰脚已起泡
kě zǒu dào shān yāo jiǎo yǐ qǐ pào

but your feet blistered when you were still on the hillside.

停下来在溪边喝一口水
tíng xià lái zài xī biān hē yī kǒu shuǐ

You stopped at the creek to drink some water.

这一切没有想像的那么糟
zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

被刽子手砍下了人头
bèi guì zǐ shǒu kǎn xià le rén tóu

The head was cut off by the executioner,

魂魄还能留恋最后九秒
hún pò hái néng liú liàn zuì hòu jiǔ miǎo

yet the soul could linger on for the last nine seconds.

第七秒时突然从梦中惊醒
dì qī miǎo shí tū rán cóng mèng zhōng jīng xǐng

On the seventh second you suddenly came out of the dream.

这一切没有想像的那么糟

zhè yī qiē méi yǒu xiǎng xiàng de nà me zāo

This is not as bad as you imagined.

万晓利

Wan Xiaoli

Translation by Rosario Yao 姚娇娇