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Island 69

南京留守曾電報
提倡民款達濟處
仰望同胞捐盡力
得免淪亡足慰贊

自治會

The commandant at Nanking sent a cable
And urged the people to transmit funds to the Relief Office.
I hope my compatriots will give all they can
To prevent the loss of our country-a praiseworthy cause.

Self-Governing Association

Listen to the poem in Cantonese ⏯

Island 68

方今五族為一家
列強未認我中華
究因外債頻頻隔
逼監財政把權拿

Just now the five nationalities in China have become one family,
But the powers still have not yet recognized our China.
Primarily because foreign debts were piling up,
The foreigners pushed to control finances and to seize power.

Listen to the poem in Cantonese ⏯

Island 80

五旗飄寰球天下諸邦皆喪膽
萬軍誅異蜮歐洲各國盡寒心

The five-colored flag of China flies all over the globe;
the nations under heaven all lose heart.
Ten thousand armies punish the foreign lands;
the states of Europe all tremble with fear.

Listen to the poem in Cantonese ⏯

Island 11

憶昔當年苦未從
堅心出外覓陶公
歲月蹉跎仍未了
至今猶因島孤中

I think back on the past when I had not experienced hardship.
I resolved to go and seek Taogong.
The months and years are wasted, and still it has not ended.
Up to now, I am still trapped on a lonely island.

Listen to the poem in Sam Yup ⏯

Voices 8

量度淺狹交友無益
遇貧驕傲雖富無益
作事乖張聰明無益
動達人情皆由學問
深明細務即為經綸

南海 [ 題 ] 口

It’s useless to become friends with those of narrow mind;
It’s useless to have wealth if one disdains the poor;
It’s useless to show off one’s cleverness in daily affairs;
Understanding human nature all comes from learning;
Attention to details leads one to the proper way.

Inscribed by Nanhai

Listen to the poem in Nanhaiese ⏯

Translations:
Egan, Charles. Voices of Angel Island: Inscriptions and Immigrant Poetry, 1910-1945. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021.
Lai, H. Mark, Genny Lim, and Judy Yung, eds. Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island, 1910-1940. Second edition. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2014.