王菲 - 幽兰操

兰之猗猗 扬扬其香
Alone stands the orchid, aroma shimmering around;

众香拱之 幽幽其芳
Rejoiced by all else, above and beyond;

不采而佩 于兰何伤？
Of sorrow shall it be, unnoticed all along?

以日以年 我行四方
Days and years, wondering around like a vagabond,

文王梦熊 渭水泱泱
Wisdom the Old King seeks, hence wise and strong

采而佩之 奕奕清芳
May the Lord see mine as the one

雪霜茂茂 蕾蕾于冬
Blossom my wisdom for my lord, like the orchid under the cold,

君子之守 子孙之昌
Long last my lawful words, till generation of prosperity unfold.


When i first heard this song, i was rather disappointed at how low-brow it is. without much further listen, i find myself humming to it often and strange enough. Now it's something that i cannot stop listening. the way the accompaniment so subtly and beautifully ebbs and flows with Faye's voice. listen to the first line clearly, and what might seem like a slur on first listen, turns out to be subtle and perfect diction. therein lies the exquisiteness and timeless quality of Faye, where she leds u to believe she missed one word in "猗猗". Art indeed.

* the english translations above were taken from a youtube viewer.