Huang Jingren: Song of a Youth

　　　Song of a Youth
(One of the earliest poems by Huang Jingren)

Original Poem (Quatrain in seven characters) 七言绝句

　　少年行
　　　　黄景仁
男儿作健向沙场，
自爱登台不望乡。
太白高高天尺五，
宝刀明月共辉光。

注释：
乾隆三十一年（1766年）冬，十八岁的诗人离家，到扬州游学。这是诗人旅途所作。
作健：用典自古乐府《企喻歌》：男儿欲作健，结伴不须多。
台：指单于台，在今内蒙古呼和浩特市西。在此用典《资治通鉴·汉纪》，汉武帝元封元年（前110年）“出长城，北登单于台”。登台指古代征人久戍不归，登高怀念家乡。
太白，是秦岭主峰，山顶终年积雪不化。

Word-by-word Exegesis:

　　少Young　年Year/Age 行Song
男儿man　作to be/act　健valorous　向toward　沙sand　场field
自by self　爱love　登climb　台terrace/tower　不not　望look at　乡hometown
太白Taibai (Mount)　高high　高high　天sky　尺a foot　五five
宝precious　刀sword　明bright　月moon　共together　辉radiance　光light

My Rendition 我的翻译

　　Song of a Youth
　　　　　　　　HUANG Jingren (1749-1783 Qing Dynasty)
A man should be valorous and gallant,
Always ready for the battlefield;
His passion for climbing is never
To be squandered on the ache for hearth.
Five feet more, the Ethereal Blanc Mount
Will touch the sky, and he, atop there,
Alone, marvels at his precious sword
That shines cold under the moonlight.

This is a poem written when the poet was 18 years old in 1766. He was to Yangzhou, at a study journey. One dusk, he climbed a hill, looking around, and found nothing inspiring.

Back-Translation 回译：

　　青年的歌

男人，该勇武、豪侠，
随时准备上战场。
他热衷于登高，这激情
绝不浪费于家居生活。
太白山再高五尺
就会碰到天空，而他
独立其上，把玩宝剑，
欣赏它在月下闪着寒光。