<p><strong>译文 (with my edit)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><p>玉砌的台阶已滋生了(透着白的)露水，(The thin layer of the late-night dew on the jade stairs reflected the faint moonlight that made it looked white)</p>
</li>
<li><p>深夜久久伫立致使罗袜被(露水)浸湿了。(罗袜 - 丝罗制的袜子)</p>
</li>
<li><p>只好回到室内放下了水晶帘子，</p>
</li>
<li><p>隔着精致透明的帘子凝望那一弯秋月。(玲珑 = 精巧细致 - exquisite)</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-29T18:14:17.770Z
Thanks (again!) for your reply! So, summing up: 1) the "White Dew period" is out of topic; 2) 玲珑 refers to the curtain: "I see the moon through the transparent and delicate curtain", right?
Starnuto di topo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-29T18:25:30.827Z
1. Yes.  2. How about "She looked at the moon through the crystal clear and delicate curtain"?
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-29T18:47:51.853Z
About 2), by "crystal clear and delicate curtain" do you mean that the curtain may be not physically be made of crystals, but it is fine and clear like a crystal? (This seems in contrast with the "水晶帘" of the 3rd line...)
Starnuto di topo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-29T19:37:49.200Z
My immediate thinking of 水晶 is something "晶瑩剔透", 精致可人, so preferring the word "crystal clear" over transparent (透明的). It is a personal preference only.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-29T16:55:59.157Z
2024-11-29T18:15:07.913Z
2024-11-29T18:15:07.913Z
r13
<p>玉阶怨<br />
Jade Steps Lament (aka The Lament of the Soaking Stockings)</p>
<p>玉砌的台阶夜里已滋生了白露，<br />
In the night the jade steps all covered in silver dew,<br />
夜深久伫立露水便浸湿了罗袜。<br />
standing on them a while will get saturated stockings, you.<br />
只好回到室内放下了水晶帘子，<br />
better go inside and lower the crystal curtain, (Did they have roll up windows??)</p>
<p>仍然隔着透明的帘子凝望秋月。<br />
through the transparent curtain still gazing at the autumn moon.</p>
<p>Melancholy Baby!</p>
<p>Do you ever wake up lonely,<br />
In the middle of the night?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-30T07:41:44.187Z
2024-11-30T07:41:44.187Z
Pedroski
<p>I have some questions about this poem by 李白:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>《玉阶怨》</strong></p>
<p>玉阶生白露,</p>
<p>夜久侵罗袜。</p>
<p>却下水晶帘,</p>
<p>玲珑望秋月。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here's my translation:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Complaining on the Jade stairs</strong></p>
<p>White dew has formed on the jade stairs</p>
<p>because of waiting so long, my silk stockings got wet.</p>
<p>Finally, I lower the curtain made of pieces of crystal,</p>
<p>still looking at this beautiful autumn moon.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My understanding is: a layer of small drops of dew has formed on the staircase made of noble material, making it looking white. The moisture is so high and I've been waiting so long that even my silk socks got wet. After having been waiting all the evening (in vain!), I finally decided to retire to my bedroom. I lower the curtain made of pieces of crystal, looking at the moon through it, unable to sleep (still waiting for him / upset because he didn't come).</p>
<p>Here are some questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Does &quot;白露&quot; refer to &quot;a layer of dew that makes the stairs look white&quot;, or it could also mean the &quot;White Dew period of the year&quot;, about Sept, the 8th (so, the 1st line would be &quot;I'm here on the jade stairs, at the beginning of the White Dew&quot;)?</p>
</li>
<li><p>Does &quot;玲珑&quot; refer to the moon (&quot;a beautiful, fine, transparent moon&quot;), to the way the lady looks at it (&quot;I see the moon in transparency, through the curtain&quot;), or to the sound of the crystals (&quot;At the sound of the crystals of the curtain, I look at the moon&quot;)?</p>
</li>
</ol>

<translation><poetry>
Understanding and interpretation of 李白's 《玉阶怨》
# Understanding and interpretation of 李白's 《玉阶怨》

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-29)

I have some questions about this poem by 李白:

> **《玉阶怨》**
>
> 玉阶生白露,
>
> 夜久侵罗袜。
>
> 却下水晶帘,
>
> 玲珑望秋月。

Here's my translation:

> **Complaining on the Jade stairs**
>
> White dew has formed on the jade stairs
>
> because of waiting so long, my silk stockings got wet.
>
> Finally, I lower the curtain made of pieces of crystal,
>
> still looking at this beautiful autumn moon.

My understanding is: a layer of small drops of dew has formed on the staircase made of noble material, making it looking white. The moisture is so high and I've been waiting so long that even my silk socks got wet. After having been waiting all the evening (in vain!), I finally decided to retire to my bedroom. I lower the curtain made of pieces of crystal, looking at the moon through it, unable to sleep (still waiting for him / upset because he didn't come).

Here are some questions:

1. Does "白露" refer to "a layer of dew that makes the stairs look white", or it could also mean the "White Dew period of the year", about Sept, the 8th (so, the 1st line would be "I'm here on the jade stairs, at the beginning of the White Dew")?
2. Does "玲珑" refer to the moon ("a beautiful, fine, transparent moon"), to the way the lady looks at it ("I see the moon in transparency, through the curtain"), or to the sound of the crystals ("At the sound of the crystals of the curtain, I look at the moon")?

**Tags:** translation, poetry


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-29. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

**译文 (with my edit)**

* 玉砌的台阶已滋生了(透着白的)露水，(The thin layer of the late-night dew on the jade stairs reflected the faint moonlight that made it looked white)
* 深夜久久伫立致使罗袜被(露水)浸湿了。(罗袜 - 丝罗制的袜子)
* 只好回到室内放下了水晶帘子，
* 隔着精致透明的帘子凝望那一弯秋月。(玲珑 = 精巧细致 - exquisite)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks (again!) for your reply! So, summing up: 1) the "White Dew period" is out of topic; 2) 玲珑 refers to the curtain: "I see the moon through the transparent and delicate curtain", right?  
> **username_1**: 1. Yes.  2. How about "She looked at the moon through the crystal clear and delicate curtain"?  
> **username_0**: About 2), by "crystal clear and delicate curtain" do you mean that the curtain may be not physically be made of crystals, but it is fine and clear like a crystal? (This seems in contrast with the "水晶帘" of the 3rd line...)  
> **username_1**: My immediate thinking of 水晶 is something "晶瑩剔透", 精致可人, so preferring the word "crystal clear" over transparent (透明的). It is a personal preference only.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-11-30. Score: 1

玉阶怨  
Jade Steps Lament (aka The Lament of the Soaking Stockings)

玉砌的台阶夜里已滋生了白露，  
In the night the jade steps all covered in silver dew,  
夜深久伫立露水便浸湿了罗袜。  
standing on them a while will get saturated stockings, you.  
只好回到室内放下了水晶帘子，  
better go inside and lower the crystal curtain, (Did they have roll up windows??)

仍然隔着透明的帘子凝望秋月。  
through the transparent curtain still gazing at the autumn moon.

Melancholy Baby!

Do you ever wake up lonely,  
In the middle of the night?


---

