A Light Boat Among the Clouds

[Intro]

[Verse 1]

Baidi City in the early morning

Rosy clouds set ablaze, half the sky

At dawn I bid this city farewell

The heavy burden is gone, I am light as a swallow

The boat by the river waits

The bow cleaves through, layer upon layer of waves

[Pre-Chorus]

The boat going downstream is fastest

Jiangling, a thousand li away, is right before my eyes

[Chorus]

朝辞白帝彩云间 (At dawn I leave Baidi amid rosy clouds)

千里江陵一日还 — A thousand li to Jiangling, reached in a single day

The cries of apes on both banks, keeping me company all the way

轻舟已过万重山 (The light boat has already passed ten thousand folds of mountains)

The river wind fills, my clothes

So fast it is like, flinging worries far behind

[Verse 2]

The boat passes the mouth of Qutang Gorge

The gibbons on both banks, call out again and again

They cry without stopping

As though calling out my good news, far and wide for me

The voice runs after the boat

Cannot catch, this leaflike little boat

[Pre-Chorus]

The light boat flies faster than birds

Countless mountain ranges, flashing past again and again

[Chorus]

朝辞白帝彩云间 (At dawn I leave Baidi amid rosy clouds)

千里江陵一日还 — A thousand li to Jiangling, reached in a single day

The cries of apes on both banks, keeping me company all the way

轻舟已过万重山 (The light boat has already passed ten thousand folds of mountains)

The river wind fills, my clothes

So fast it is like, flinging worries far behind

[Instrumental]

[Verse 3]

两岸猿声啼不尽 — From both banks, the gibbons’ cries never cease

Their cries fall, circling over the river

Looking back at Baidi City

Already shrunk, to a dot of ink

Jiangling lies just ahead

That evening, when cooking smoke rose

[Bridge]

What does it mean to be free again

It is this very moment, the sails upon the river

Only yesterday I was an exile

Today the spring breeze，brings a smile to my face

The imperial pardon has arrived

Sending me all the way back to Jiangnan

The road ahead is still long

All carry this fondness, from today

[Verse 4]

The lights of Jiangling have come on

The boat enters, the bend at Jiangling

I step ashore

The Three Gorges behind me, grow still as a painted scroll

Tomorrow I must travel on

Tonight I will sleep, soundly and sweetly

[Final Chorus]

朝辞白帝彩云间 (At dawn I leave Baidi amid rosy clouds)

千里江陵一日还 — A thousand li to Jiangling, reached in a single day

The cries of apes on both banks, keeping me company all the way

轻舟已过万重山 (The light boat has already passed ten thousand folds of mountains)

The river wind fills, my clothes

So fast it is like, flinging worries far behind

[Outro]

轻舟已过万重山 (The light boat has already passed ten thousand folds of mountains)

In the days ahead, mountains rise high and waters stretch wide