Chiều nay sương gió, lữ khách dừng bên quán xưa

This windy evening, a wanderer stops by the old roadside inn

"Lữ khách" (wanderer) and "quán xưa" (old inn) evoke the image of a solitary traveler returning to a familiar, humble place—a common symbol of nostalgia in Vietnamese poetry.

Mơ màng nghe tiếng chuông chiều, vương về bên quán tiêu điều

Dreamily hears the sound of the evening bell, drifting toward the desolate inn

The “chuông chiều” (evening bell) is a Buddhist motif, often associated with temples, signaling reflection, time passing, and impermanence.

Vầng trăng hoen úa, như lá vàng rơi cuối Thu

The pale moon tarnished, like autumn leaves falling at season’s end

Autumn in Vietnamese art symbolizes aging, sorrow, and beauty in decline—linked to the Buddhist sense of impermanence.

Lững lờ soi mấy hàng cây u sầu đang ngắm trời mây

Loosely casting light on rows of sorrowful trees gazing at the drifting clouds

The trees "gazing" evokes poetic personification, emphasizing nature as a reflection of human melancholy and introspection.

Ngày nào xa khi dấn bước trong phong sương

Long ago, when I set forth into wind and mist

“Phong sương” (wind and mist) is a poetic phrase indicating hardship and the wandering life, often associated with soldiers, artists, or nomads.

Từng bầy én tung bay muôn ngàn hướng

Swallows once flew in flocks toward thousands of directions

The swallow is a traditional symbol of youth, vitality, and hope; their flight represents freedom or the dispersion of dreams.

Dừng đây nơi cũ nghe tiếng diều trong gió Thu

Now I stop at the old place, hearing the kite sing in the autumn wind

Kites in Vietnamese culture symbolize nostalgia and childhood memories; their sound is a wistful echo of the past.

Vương hòa nên khúc nhạc thư, tâm hồn ta lắng nguồn mơ

Blended into a gentle melody, my soul calms into a stream of dreams

“Nhạc thư” (leisurely melody) and “nguồn mơ” (stream of dreams) reflect a peaceful return to the inner self through music.

Tới đây nơi xưa, gió êm êm đưa

Arriving again at this old place, where the breeze softly flows

Return to one’s roots, a major motif in Vietnamese literature, evoking reconciliation with the past.

Áng mây trôi tới xa xôi khuất nơi sau đồi

Clouds drift away toward far-off places behind the hill

The drifting cloud is a symbol of time passing and the ephemeral nature of life.

Quán tranh xiêu xiêu, chốn đây cô liêu,

The thatched inn leans askew, this place now desolate

"Quán tranh" (thatched inn) and “cô liêu” (loneliness) evoke a rustic, nostalgic past—often tied to post-war imagery.

Nhắc cho ta biết bao nhiêu dáng xưa yêu kiều

Reminding me of so many graceful figures of the past

“Dáng xưa yêu kiều” (graceful figures of the past) hints at romantic memories or lost loves—an emotional anchor.

Tiếng ca xa xa lắng trong bao la,

A distant song echoes faintly in the vastness

Sound as memory: distant singing carries emotional weight, like a fading echo of a once-vivid life.

Với tiếng ru khẽ rung lên trong chiều gió

Along with a lullaby gently vibrating in the evening wind

The "tiếng ru" (lullaby) is a uniquely Vietnamese motif, often sung by mothers—here symbolizing comfort, loss, or maternal memory.

Đã bao năm qua, sống nơi phương xa,

For many years, I lived in a faraway place

"Phương xa" (distant land) could reference exile, diaspora, or migration—key post-war experiences.

Về phương cũ đành dừng bước chân giang hồ

Returning to the old place, I must now cease this wandering life

The “giang hồ” life—literally “rivers and lakes”—is a poetic metaphor for a drifting, unstable, often adventurous life. Stopping it implies maturity, longing for peace, or a final homecoming.