For our 宝贝

Update:

[thanks to Jude for a serendipitous find-- the best kind...]

This song goes out to Sophie, whose parents' combined knowledge of Chinese was tapped for the first time in eons to read the lyrics (in traditional Chinese no less- my friend, Yvonne would be so proud...) so that they can sing this sweet, sweet, lovely song to her. From now on, depending on whether she's being good or bad, we're going to start calling her 小鬼 (loosely translated: little rascal) or 宝贝 (precious). And to make this song even more poignant, the singer-songwriter, Zhang Xuan, wrote this when she was only 13, after a particularly rough falling out with her mother.

我的寶貝 寶貝 給你一點甜甜，
讓你今夜都好眠
我的小鬼 小鬼 逗逗你的眉眼，
讓你喜歡這世界
嘩啦啦啦啦啦我的寶貝，
倦的時候有個人陪
唉呀呀呀呀呀我的寶貝，
要你知道你最美
我的寶貝 寶貝 給你一點甜甜，
讓你今夜很好眠
我的小鬼 小鬼 捏捏你的小臉，
讓你喜歡整個明天
嘩啦啦啦啦啦 我的寶貝
倦的時候有個人陪
唉呀呀呀呀呀 我的寶貝
要你知道你最美 嘩啦啦啦啦啦 我的寶貝
孤單時有人把你想念
唉呀呀呀呀呀 我的寶貝
要你知道你最美

My baby, baby, giving you a bit of sweetness
Allowing you to sleep well tonight
My little rascal, little rascal, teasingly playing with your eyebrows
Making you love this world
(Vocals) My baby
When you're tired, there's someone to accompany you
(Vocals) My baby
Wanting you to know you are the most beautiful
My baby, baby, giving you a bit of sweetness
Allowing you to sleep well tonight
My little rascal, little rascal, teasingly playing with your face
Allowing you to love every coming tomorrow
(Vocals) My baby
When you're lonely, there's someone to think of you
(Vocals) My baby
Wanting you to know you are the most beautiful
- 張萱, "寶貝"