坐看雲起時 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 柳應廷

Lyrics & Translation

Discover tranquility and resilience in Jer Lau's “坐看雲起時”, a Cantopop ballad that beautifully encapsulates the essence of finding hope in despair, inspired by classical Chinese poetry. Explore themes of emotional healing and learn to appreciate life's simple wonders through its poignant lyrics and soothing melody.

[English]

The sun rises and sets, an unchanging rule

Watching you trapped in the shadows

Standing under the Fushimi Inari Shrine, shedding tears

Circles and squares intertwine heaven and earth, surrounding who?

Ryoan-ji's rock garden, in the end, you come to wander alone, how to face it?

Like ripples colliding and scattering

The destined salvation of a lifetime, hidden in the gravel and sand, you don't cherish it

In the program, between your brows, a gleam of white light, coiled

Only then do I remember, this naked body, had already passed away

Why are there still countless unresolved karmic debts left behind?

Still unresolved, the painstaking plans and lingering regrets are amplified

Even if two hearts collapse, even if we go our separate ways

And the flowers in the old home, with her blessings, why didn't you try to understand?

May you personally transcend the boundaries of soul and body

Still unresolved, may you be grateful for life, living is great

Who will forgive you, for judging yourself a failure in this life?

This universe has no barriers, she will embrace you in the next life

Greeting the layered greens of Arashiyama, why isn't the pain filtered out?

The words meant to soothe, coming from all directions, you don't listen

Keep walking, the soul realizes, reality is all illusion

Looking back, the Togetsukyo Bridge, turns into fine dust, scattered in the Katsura River

Still the mountains, may you personally transcend the boundaries of soul and body

Still the water, may you be grateful for life, living is great

Who will forgive you, for judging yourself a failure in this life?

This longing has no barriers, she will live happily in this world

The deadlock between you and her, in karma, is still not loosened

A gentle breeze blows, urging formation, existence, destruction, emptiness

In this world, there are still flowers blooming and falling, endless karmic debts

There are no mountains, in this uncreated and undying, limitless state

Wandering in the cycle of life and death, perhaps there is a choice

Sad you, exploring the Milky Way along the way

At the end of the flowing water, still unable to find relief

There is no water, your memories eroding the boundaries of the banks

Let the sand and gravel drip, flowing back into the mind

Make an appointment with her, to reunite for thousands of lifetimes

Red peach and green willow, difficult to hope for forever

Still willing to wait, guarding the empty window alone

Watching, I, raise a cloud and mist belt in the distant mountains for you

[Chinese]

陽光 東升西降 不變規矩

看你困於 陰影裡

站在伏見 鳥居下 淌淚

圓方 交織天與地 圍繞著誰

龍安寺 枯山水 最終得你來獨遊 怎面對

如漣漪碰撞散聚

原定畢生的救贖 藏在 碎石細砂 你不惜取

程序裡 眉宇間 一點白光 盤踞

才記起 這身赤軀 原已 逝 去

何解 尚有數之不盡 遺下的心債

還未解 尚有苦心積慮 遺恨被壯大

縱使兩心崩壞 就算各奔天涯

而故居的花 有她的祝福 為何沒試著 了解

願你親身跨越 靈肉的疆界

還未解 願你感恩生命 活著是偉大

誰原諒你 終此一生 自判失敗

這宇宙無結界 她會在來世裡 擁你入懷

迎嵐山疊翠 為何傷痛沒過濾

原定安撫的說話 來自 四面八方 你不聽取

行下去 靈魂驚覺 實相全是虛

回頭望 渡月橋 化作細塵 散落桂川裡

還是山 願你親身跨越 靈肉的疆界

還是水 願你感恩生命 活著是偉大

誰原諒你 終此一生 自判失敗

這掛念無結界 她會在人世裡 生活愉快

你與她的死結 因果裡 仍然 未鬆

靈風一吹送 催促 成 住 壞 空

人間 尚有花開花落 無盡的心債

從沒山 在這不生不滅 無極的狀態

徘徊在 生關死劫 或有選擇

悲傷的你 銀河沿路勘探

流水窮盡處 仍沒法紓解

從沒水 是你思憶吞蝕 堤岸的邊界

讓砂石來滴漏 回流入腦海

跟她相約 千世聚頭

紅桃綠柳 難望永久

仍願等候 空窗孤守

坐看 我 為你在遠山 升起一片雲霧帶

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
陽光 /jɑŋɡwɑŋ/ A1	noun - sunlight
陰影 /jin jǐng/ B1	noun - shadow, shade
淚 /leɪ/ B1	noun - tears
心 /xin/ A1	noun - heart, mind
恨 /hèn/ B2	noun - hatred, regret verb - to hate
花 /xwā/ A1	noun - flower
祝福 /dʒʉ̀fú/ B1	noun - blessing verb - to bless
靈 /lɪŋ/ B2	noun - spirit, soul
肉 /ròu/ A2	noun - flesh, meat
生命 /ʃɛ̄ŋmìŋ/ A2	noun - life
宇宙 /yǔzhòu/ B1	noun - universe, cosmos
傷痛 /ʃɑŋt̪ʊŋ/ B2	noun - pain, wound
靈魂 /lǐŋhún/ B1	noun - soul, spirit
水 /shwèi/ A1	noun - water
結 /dʒié/ B1	noun - knot, tie
風 /fəŋ/ A1	noun - wind
劫 /dʒié/ C1	noun - calamity, disaster; in Buddhism, kalpa
悲傷 /bēishāng/ B1	adjective - sad, sorrowful
銀河 /yínhé/ B1	noun - Milky Way, galaxy
雲霧 /yúnwù/ B2	noun - cloud and mist

Key Grammar Structures

• 陽光 東升西降 不變規矩

  ➔ Present tense for stating facts.

  ➔ The phrase uses the present tense to describe the unchanging nature of the sun's movement.

• 圓方 交織天與地 圍繞著誰

  ➔ Interrogative structure for asking questions.

  ➔ The line poses a question about the subject being surrounded, indicating curiosity.

• 如漣漪碰撞散聚

  ➔ Simile for comparison.

  ➔ The phrase uses a simile to compare emotions to ripples, illustrating the nature of feelings.

• 還未解 尚有苦心積慮 遺恨被壯大

  ➔ Present perfect for ongoing situations.

  ➔ The use of present perfect indicates that the unresolved issues and regrets are still affecting the speaker.

• 這宇宙無結界 她會在來世裡 擁你入懷

  ➔ Future tense for predictions.

  ➔ The future tense expresses a prediction about the universe and the afterlife, suggesting hope.

• 人間 尚有花開花落 無盡的心債

  ➔ Existential structure to express existence.

  ➔ The line reflects on the existence of life cycles and emotional debts, emphasizing the ongoing nature of life.

• 讓砂石來滴漏 回流入腦海

  ➔ Imperative form for commands.

  ➔ The imperative form is used to command the sand and stones to flow back into the mind, suggesting a desire for reflection.