下晡 一個人踮厝內
ē-poo, tsi̍t ê lâng tiàm tshù-lāi
One afternoon, I was home alone
西北雨 沃澹窗外的衫
sai-pak-hōo, ak-tâm thang-guā ê sann
A sudden downpour drenched the clothes outside the window
外口的人 猶未轉來
guā-kháu ê lâng iah-buē tńg-lâi
The one who left has yet to return
戇戇咧等 戇戇攑一支雨傘
gōng-gōng—leh tán, gōng-gōng gia̍h tsi̍t ki hōo-suànn
I foolishly waited with an umbrella in hand
為你 幾若擺睏袂去
uī lí, kuí-nā pái khùn bē khì
In your absence I have endured so many sleepless nights
全世界 揣袂著你的形影
tsuân-sè-kài, tshuē bē tio̍h lí ê hîng-iánn
In all the world no trace of you remains
凡勢 會當共你放捒
huān-sè, ē-tàng kā lí pàng-sak
Perhaps I will be able to give up someday
氣身惱命 我哪會攏無要無緊
khì-sin-lóo-miā, guá ná-ē lóng bô-iàu-bô-kín
My heart fills with resentment, how could I be so indifferent?
踮遮規暝 看電火閃爍
tiàm tsia kui-mê, khuànn tiān-hué siám-sih
Staying here all night, watching the light flicker
我踮遮等待 拍無去的人
guá tiàm tsia tán-thāi, phah-bô--khì ê lâng
I wait for the one I have lost
聽厝內的聲 聲聲佇咧吼
thiann tshù-lāi ê siann, siann-siann tī-leh háu
I listen to the house and it sounds like it’s weeping
我踅來踅去 思念火燒房間¹
guá se̍h-lâi-se̍h-khì, su-liām hué sio pâng-king
I pace around the room, my longing for you burns
袂開的花 無欲轉來的人
buē khui ê hue, bô beh tńg--lâi ê lâng
The flower that will never bloom, the person who will never return
美麗的你啊 想著你彼當時 攑懸你的旗仔
bí-lē ê lí—ah, siūnn tio̍h lí hit-tong-sî, gia̍h kuân lí ê kî-á
My dear, I still remember when you raised your flag
路邊的話 滿街路雨紛飛
lōo-pinn ê uē, muá ke-lōo hōo hun-hui
Words spoken by the roadside pour across the streets like rain
時代的變卦 孤單的我一个人 問天也毋捌
sî-tāi ê piàn-kuà, koo-tuann ê guá tsi̍t ê lâng, mn̄g thinn iā m̄-bat
I am alone in changing times, even the heavens will not answer me
手內啥物攏無 只賰我欲予你的愛
tshiú lāi siánn-mih lóng bô, tsí tshun guá beh hōo lí ê ài
My hands are empty, my love for you is all that’s left to hold
有血有肉的人 煞下落不明
ū hueh ū bah ê lâng, suah hē-lo̍h-put-bîng
But your flesh and blood have disappeared without a trace
共你的 記持啊 囥佇我的心內
kā lí ê kì-tî—ah, khǹg tī guá ê sim-lāi
Your memory lies deep in my heart
騎你的 白馬啊 行你欲行的路
khiâ lí ê pe̍h-bé—ah, kiânn lí beh kiânn ê lōo
Ride your white horse, follow your chosen path
風吹來 花落塗 點一欉香祈求：
hong tshue lâi, hue lo̍h-thôo, tiám tsi̍t tsâng hiunn kî-kiû:
The wind blows; blossoms fall to the ground. I light incense and pray,
南無觀世音菩薩
lâm-bô kuan-sè-im-phôo-sat
“Namo Avalokiteshvara,
若準講你 算著這齣悲劇
nā-tsún kóng lí, sǹg tio̍h tsit tshut pi-kio̍k
"If you could foresee this tragedy
你敢會看顧 紲落來伊頭前 彼逝歹行的路
lí kám ē khuànn-kòo, suà--lo̍h-lâi i thâu-tsîng, hit tsuā pháinn kiânn ê lōo
“could you continue to accompany him on the difficult road ahead?”
夢中的我 看你沓沓仔行
bāng-tiong ê guá, khuànn lí ta̍uh-ta̍uh-á kiânn
In my dreams, I see you walking slowly
牽你的亡魂 有一工咱做伙 轉去彼个所在
khan lí ê bông-hûn, ū tsi̍t kang lán tsò-hué, tńg-khì hit ê sóo-tsāi
Guiding your departed soul, one day we’ll go back to that place together
我 蔫去的愛（規路攏是你）
guá, lian-khì ê ài（kui-lōo lóng sī lí）
My withered love (your memory fills the streets)
佮你 恬去的心
kah lí, tiām—khì ê sim
and your stilled heartbeat
佇這烏暗時代（佇這烏暗時代）
tī tse oo-àm sî-tāi（tī tse oo-àm sî-tāi）
In these dark times (In these dark times)
是有緣無份（想欲講出的）
sī ū-iân bô-hūn（siūnn beh kóng-tshut ê）
Destined to meet and doomed to part (I wish that I could speak)
寫袂了的批
siá bē liáu ê phue
Letters left unfinished
佮講袂煞的話（奈何）
kah kóng bē suah ê uē（nāi-hô）
And words left unspoken (what else can i do?)
(亻因) 開袂完的銃（開袂完的銃）
in khui bē uân ê tshìng（khui bē uân ê tshìng）
The gunfire continues
看人去樓空（火烌猶在）
khuànn lâng-khì lâu-khang（hué-hu iû-tsāi）
All have gone, nothing remains (only ashes)
雨 微微仔落
hōo, bî-bî-á lo̍h
The rain falls softly
天 微微仔光
thinn, bî-bî-á kng
The sun shines softly
看你 微微仔笑
khuànn lí, bî-bî-á tshiò
And you, smile softly
後世人再會
āu-sì-lâng tsài-huē
“We will meet in the next life”
¹ lit. "I pace back and forth, memory/longing burns the room" which i interpreted to mean my longing for you [is so strong that it could] burn [down] the room. but that flows strangely in english, so i moved the room setting to the first half and tried to capture the idea/retain fire imagery in the 2nd half. however, i do think it is a powerful metaphor worth thinking about nonetheless