Ume Blossoms in the Snow

Comparative Reading of Chinese Classic Poem
 Thanks to Crystal Tsai's introduction from her Kindle Edition
 " A Poetical Portal to Chinese Culture"

雪梅 Ume Blossoms in the Snow 
作者：盧梅坡

梅雪爭春未肯降
Ume blossoms fight snow while delaying falling to wait for spring.
騷人擱筆費評章
To judge which side wins, the poet takes a break from writing.
梅須遜雪三分白
Ume blossoms are 30 percent less white than snow
雪卻輸梅一段香
But snow loses for lacking the fragrance ume blossoms are emitting. 
 
My own rendition:

 Ume blossoms on snow covered branches
   yearn to be favored by the coming and going season
Idling scholars put away their pens
   meditating on the life and death of winter blossoms
Ume ought not to subject itself to harsh winter snow
Yet snow is totally crushed by Ume's fleeting scent.

One Teacher's commentary:
 
盧梅坡〈雪梅〉：「梅雪爭春未肯降，騷人擱筆費評章。梅須遜雪三分白，
雪卻輸梅一段香。」這首詩從雪與梅之異同處出發，指出物各有其特色。
冬天的梅與雪，在春天隱而不見，因此引起了騷人墨客的歎惋。然也因此，
顯出梅的精神、雪的特殊。梅與雪同是冬景之一，然不同處則是梅有暗香，
雪有皚皚的白，各有各的特色，難以分出高下。這就如同每個人各有特色，
他人是替代不得的。