The lyrics here are pretty easy, and were written by Jay himself, as with his newest song “If you don’t love me, it’s fine”. They lack the poetry (and rhyme) of Vincent Fang’s lyrics, but for Mandarin learners, I guess they’re pretty great. This is my mostly non-literal translation, with some notes in square brackets.

(周)

你住的巷子裡 我租了一間公寓

I’ve rented a flat in the street where you live

爲了想與你不期而遇

So that we might meet by chance

高中三年 我爲什麽 爲什麽不好好讀書

In the third year of high school, why didn’t I study harder?

沒考上跟你一樣的大學

I couldn’t get in to the same university as you

[Lit. “Not exam-up with you same university”; other examples of patterns like “跟你一樣” here.]

我找了份工作 離你宿舍很近

I found a job that was near your dorm

當我開始學會做蛋餅 才發現你不吃早餐

When I started to learn how to make omelette, I found that you don’t eat breakfast

喔 你又擦肩而過

Oh, you passed me by again

你耳機聼什麽 能不能告訴我

Could you tell me what you’re listening to [on your earphones]?

# CHORUS (合)

躺在你學校的操場看星空

Lying in the playground at your school watching the stars

教室裡的燈 還亮著你沒走

The lights were still on in the classroom [because] you were still there

記得我寫給你的情書

Remember the love letter that I wrote to you?

都什麽年代了 到現在我還在寫著

What year is it now? Even now, I’m still writing it

總有一天 總有一年 會發現

Someday [some year] you’ll realise

有人默默的陪在你的身邊

There was someone at your side [in silence]

也許我不該在你的世界

Perhaps I shouldn’t be in your world

當你收到情書 也代表我已經走遠

When you’ve get my love letter, it’ll mean I’m far away

(楊)

學校旁的廣場 我在這等鐘聲響

I was waiting in the square by the school for the bell to ring

等你下課一起走好嗎

Waiting for you to get out of class – “would you like to walk with me?”

(合)

彈著琴 唱你愛的歌 暗戀一點都不痛苦

Playing the piano, singing the song you love, the crush didn’t hurt at all

痛苦的是你根本沒看我

What hurts is you didn’t even look at me

我唱這麽走心 卻走不進你心裡

I’m singly so touchingly, but I can’t get into your heart

[Note: there is a sort of pun here, since ‘touchingly’ is literally ‘walk heart’]

在人來人往找尋著你 守護著你不求結局

Through the bustling crowds I’m looking for you, protecting you [unconditionally]

[Note: ‘unconditionally’ might be more like ‘without an ulterior motive’]

喔 你又擦肩而過

Oh, you passed me by again

我唱告白氣球 終於你回了頭

I sing [my song] ‘Love Confession’ [and] you finally turn around

[Note: 告白氣球/Love Confession is a song from Jay Chou’s last album]

# CHORUS

Click here for other song translations (including Jay Chou’s newest song “If you don’t love me, it’s fine”)