梅花颂: Odes to the Plum

 

梅花傲雪: 迎春吐艳 凌寒飘香 铁骨冰心

The plum never yields to the snow;

It exudes brilliance spring to greet.

Puffing out sweet smell in severe cold

It’s pure- hearted and iron- boned.

 

 

玉骨冰肌谁可匹 凌霜傲雪夺第一

Who can match the plum in fair and smooth complexion?

Unyielding to frost and snow flakes it is the champion.

 

 

忽然一夜清香发 散作乾坤万里春   （元） 王冕

Sending forth pure flavor at night all of a sudden,

The plum spreads the spring season to all under heaven.  

(Yuan)  Wang Mian

 

 

雪虐风号愈凛然 花中气节最高坚    （宋） 陆游

Standing all the more upright and straight in the snow flurrying and the wind howling

The plum among all flowers is the loftiest and the most unyielding.    

(Song)   Lu You

 

 

遥知不是雪  为有暗香来  （宋）  王安石

It’s not snow we know from afar,

But hidden fragrance creeps all over. 

(Song)  Wang Anshi

  

 

桃李莫相妒  夭姿元不同    （宋） 王十朋

The peach and the plum do not envy each other;

They are of different charming characters.  

(Song)  Wang Shipeng

 

 

宝剑锋从磨砺出  梅花香自苦寒来   《警世贤文》

 Sword edges are sharpened by steeling will.  

Plum fragrance is born out of bitter cold. 

From Admonishing Advice

 

 

不求大士瓶中露   为乞嫦娥槛外梅   《红楼梦》 曹雪芹

Never seek for appearance of an elegant flower in the vase,

I’d rather beg for her graceful presence outside the door sill. 

Cao Xueqin

  

 

雪里已知春信至   寒梅点缀琼脂腻        (宋) 李清照

Snow already conveys the advent of the spring

Cold plums adorn the jade with fat grease.

Li Qingzhao 

 

 

无意苦争春 一任群芳妒  零落成泥辗作尘 只有香如故    （宋） 陆游

Never intending to go after spring,

The plum simply leaves all other bloomers envious.

Scattered about, silted and crushed into dust,

Yet she remains as fragrant as ever.