Author: Thomas

中文原文﹕

蘇武魂銷漢使前，
古祠高樹兩茫然。
雲邊雁斷胡天月，
隴上羊歸塞草煙。

迴日樓臺非甲帳，
去時冠劍是丁年。
茂陵不見封侯印，
空向秋波哭逝川。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Su Wu accepted his role as an ambassador of Han betting on his life,
Feeling at a loss, here in front of a shrine in his name flanked by lofty trees stand I.
When he was under the Hun skies and moon at clouds' edge where no wild geese flew,
In the far north he rose to herd his sheep and rested in his yurt to the wild survive.

By the time of his return all had changed, gone was the decorated alter offering blessing,
When he left, he was merely twenty donning a crest and a sword by his side.
Regretfully it wasn't Emperor Wu who bestowed him the lordship seal,
Over a river of autumn waters that shall never return like time he cried.

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中文原文﹕

澹然空水對斜暉，
曲島蒼茫接翠微。
波上馬嘶看棹去，
柳邊人歇待船歸。

數叢沙草群鷗散，
萬頃江田一鷺飛。
誰解乘舟尋范蠡？
五湖煙水獨忘機。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

The crystal clear waters the brilliance of twilight reflect,
The fog surrounding wandering isles rises to blend in with the distant misty green.
On board ferries, horses neigh as they ride the waves further along,
While waiting for ferries to their side return, dockers rest by the willow trees.

On the sandbank a flock of egrets take flight scattering away from clumps and groves,
All but for one which planes over the expansive riverside paddy fields.
Who gets my drift as I sail the waters in search of Fan Li?
As I get carried away by smoky waters all over in solitude leaving behind worldly schemes.

.

中文原文﹕

重帷深下莫愁堂，
臥後清宵細細長。
神女生涯原是夢，
小姑居處本無郎。

風波不信菱枝弱，
月露誰教桂葉香？
直道相思了無益，
未妨惆悵是清狂。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

I walk pass by a fair maiden's heavily draped window,
Alone on an autumn night, prolonged is loneliness of bedtime.
The life of a goddess of the Magic Mountains is nothing but a dream,
Maidenhood is livelihood without a man, by clear waters a lady leads a simple life.

Water chestnuts are tender and delicate, yet of them currents take no pity,
How is it that cinnamon flowers tend to more fragrance transpire under moonlight?
Since no satisfaction could possibly arise from my expressing unrequited love,
I might as well brood in melancholy to idly lose my mind.

.

中文原文﹕

鳳尾香羅薄幾重，
碧文圓頂夜深縫。
扇裁月魄羞難掩，
車走雷聲語未通。

曾是寂寥金燼暗，
斷無消息石榴紅。
斑騅只繫垂楊岸，
何處西南任好風？

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Sitting behind layers of thin wallflower draperies embroidered with phoenix tails,
She busied over brocading an emerald curtain dome in the still of night.
Over there she sat with a round fan trying to her shyness hide,
Before we could words exchange, in a series of claps a carriage had taken her away.

I've been passing nights in loneliness till candles have burnt out and flames extinguished,
Now that pomegranate are flowering red, yet I still have not her tidings.
Under a willow tree by the embankment I have my spotty nag tied,
To the west, to the south or wherever blows the wind, where could I my lady find?

.

中文原文﹕

悵臥新春白袷衣，
白門寥落意多違。
紅樓隔雨相望冷，
珠箔飄燈獨自歸。

遠路應悲春晼晚，
殘宵猶得夢依稀。
玉璫緘札何由達，
萬里雲羅一雁飛。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

As the season turns to spring I lie brooding in my underclothes in white,
Against hopes and wishes White Gate was all we had, now little remains of our good time.
I've been back to stare at the red chamber, in the rain cold is the atmosphere in between,
Alone I make my jolted return with the lamp and screen beads sway alongside.

The road is long, as spring days falls into night, so comes the deep blues,
For pieces of you, it is on sleepless nights disturbed by shattered dreams of you that I rely.
Who can help me deliver to you gifts of earrings and my letters of love?
There goes a wild goose dashing through clouds that stretch on for thousands of miles.

.

中文原文﹕

相見時難別亦難，
東風無力百花殘。
春蠶到死絲方盡，
蠟炬成灰淚始乾。

曉鏡但愁雲鬢改，
夜吟應覺月光寒。
蓬萊此去無多路，
青鳥殷勤為探看。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Hard to come by is spending time alone with you, making it all so hard to say goodbye,
In the tail of spring, even easterlies lack the strength to wilting blooms revive.
Silk worms spin till the end of their living days,
Burning candles turn wicks to ashes till they can no more tears of wax cry.

In the morning, you'd worry about losing the shine in your hair and your youthfulness,
Taking to poetry at night I wonder if you could feel the chill I sense of moonlight.
Like the Magic Mountains, you may not be far away but inaccessible you are nonetheless,
For tidings of you I could only on the kind-hearted blue birds rely.

.

中文原文﹕

猿鳥猶疑畏簡書，
風雲常為護儲胥。
徒令上將揮神筆，
終見降王走傳車。

管樂有才終不忝，
關張無命欲何如？
他年錦里經祠廟，
梁父吟成恨有餘。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Gibbons and birds of this garrison still prohibitions of Zhuge's time fear and respect,
The unpredictable winds and clouds are still guarding the cordon he defined.
Yet in vain in the end were the general's lifelong effort spent on tactics,
His master roped himself and rode out in a carriage to surrender and his throne resign.

Zhuge was as capable as Guan and Le and deserving of such comparison,
Yet Guan and Zhang had not the fate to escape their demise.
One day when I pass by the shrine commemorating Zhuge in the Magnificent City,
I shall many more sentiments and regrets feel after I the song of Liangfu recite.

.

中文原文﹕

颯颯東風細雨來，
芙蓉塘外有輕雷。
金蟾齧鏁燒香入，
玉虎牽絲汲井迴。

賈氏窺簾韓掾少，
宓妃留枕魏王才。
春心莫共花爭發，
一寸相思一寸灰。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

As easterlies sough through a drizzling sky,
Soft thunders strike beyond the Hibiscus Pond.
The statues of gilded toad holding a lock in the mouth cannot keep incense out,
The well decorated with jade tigers is deep yet long is the rope on the pail to water draw.

Jia's daughter peeped through the screen at the handsome Han and later his wife became,
Concubine Mi could only leave the Wei prince a pillow to express her love for this prodigy.
Be still my beating heart, compete not with spring on blossoming forth,
For what remains of my every shred of longing is a mere disheartened, ashen core.

.

中文原文﹕

來是空言去絕蹤，
月斜樓上五更鐘。
夢為遠別啼難喚，
書被催成墨未濃。

蠟照半籠金翡翠，
麝熏微度繡芙蓉。
劉郎已恨蓬山遠，
更隔蓬山一萬重。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

You said you'd come again yet hollow were your words and for good you were gone,
The moon had inclined its way over the chamber when there came the gong before dawn.
I woke up from dreaming of bidding you farewell in tears as you left without hesitation,
I rose with an urge to write you a letter with ink that was dull wanting chroma.

Candlelight illuminates only half of the screen inlaid with jade and gold,
From within the hibiscus draperies diffuses incense of musky aroma.
There are those who loath the remoteness of the Immortal Mountains,
Yet my separation from you feels further away by ten-thousand-fold.

.

中文原文﹕

紫泉宮殿鎖煙霞，
欲取蕪城作帝家。
玉璽不緣歸日角，
錦帆應是到天涯。

於今腐草無螢火，
終古垂楊有暮鴉。
地下若逢陳後主，
豈宜重問後庭花？

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

The palace surrounded by elegant springs is basked in fogged twilight,
Emperor Yang of Sui had wanted to located his capital in the City of Wu.
Yet the fate of the imperial seal deserted him for one with a distinct forehead,
He could have sailed the world on his splendid fleet had he not led his country to ruin.

There are no more fireflies from decaying grass piles to brighten his dark path forward,
In the evening, on surviving willow trees from his days rest ravens as they hoot.
In his afterlife should he the late Emperor of Chen meet,
Would he have asked for a replay of the dance “A Flourishing Backyard with Cajuput”?

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