满纸荒唐言,
一把辛酸泪!
都云作者痴,
谁解其中味?
Sorry, Jeff. But I think your translation is completely -- it would be better to say nothing but some single characters was correctly translated.
Worst of all, the author of "Dreams of a Red Chamber" didn't write anything debauchery or obscene.
There can be two different translations depending on the context of the poem. I have never read "Dream of the Red Chamber" and so I don't know which is the more "correct" version.
满纸荒唐言,A pageful of absurdity/debauchery.
一把辛酸泪!Tears of misery.
都云作者痴,Everyone thinks the author is crazy/infatuated
谁解其中味?Can anyone really understand his experience?
Except for the 2nd line, all other lines are excellent. Gibberish is spelt with two "b"s.
<em>Giberish scrawled over the paper,</em>
<em>Bitter tears dropping through fingers ,</em>
<em>The author mocked for his obsession,</em>
<em>Who would understand what was truly meant?</em>
<em>
</em>
<em>-Courtesy of an unsung hero-</em>
Fantastic words
were put down,
to convey
my tears of sorrow.
Literally insane,
many think I am,
but the novel's soul,
few deeply know.