Author: Thomas

中文原文﹕

鏡湖三百里，
菡萏發荷花；
五月西施采，
人看隘若耶。
回舟不待月，
歸去越王家。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

The Mirror Lake spreads for many a square mile,
Lotus buds have started to flowers give;
May was the month Xishi used to lotus flowers harvest,
Many would come crowding the creek to her beauty admire.
Before long she needed not wait for the rise of moon to flowers collect,
Soon she was hand-picked and presented to the the Yue Palace.

.

中文原文﹕

秦地羅敷女，
采桑綠水邊；
素手青條上，
紅妝白日鮮。
蠶饑妾欲去，
五馬莫留連。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Here on the land of Qin, I see a young lady,
By the green waters she picks mulberry leaves;
Her tender arms move among fresh sprigs,
Her bright red clothes rival the glowing sunbeam.
Yet she is about to leave to her silk worms feed
Oh, linger not, my good Prefecture Chief.

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中文原文﹕

明月出天山，
蒼茫雲海間；
長風幾萬里，
吹度玉門關。

漢下白登道，
胡窺青海灣。
由來征戰地，
不見有人還。

戍客望邊色，
思歸多苦顏；
高樓當此夜，
歎息未應閒。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

The bright moon rises over the Sky Mountains,
Amidst a boundless sea of clouds it waxes and wanes;
The wind gusts through and continues for thousands of miles,
All the way past the Gate of Jade.

The Han army was on their way to the Baideng Pass,
When the Hun coveted for the shores of the Blue Lake.
For so long it had been a war zone
That had not allowed any to return safely.

Soldiers on duty would gaze at the sights of this borderland,
Though they hope for homecoming, bitter are most of their faces;
Those wives on upper levels on nights like this
Would be restlessly sighing time and again.

.

中文原文﹕

飲馬渡秋水，
水寒風似刀。
平沙日未沒，
黯黯見臨洮。
昔日長城戰，
咸言意氣高。
黃塵足今古，
白骨亂蓬蒿。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

We set foot in autumn waters to bring our horses to drink,
The waters are freezing and the wind piercing like a knife.
The desert stretches on, over which the sun has not yet set,
Discernible is the town of Linyao in what remains of twilight.
History speaks of battles here at the Great Wall,
How spirited were the soldiers dispatched from the capital with their hopes so high.
The yellow dust says it all of those gathered here today and those of long ago,
Pushing daisies in the wild are heroic remains in piles.

.

中文原文﹕

蟬鳴空桑林，
八月蕭關道。
出塞復入塞，
處處黃蘆草。
從來幽并客，
皆共塵沙老。
莫學遊俠兒，
矜誇紫騮好。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

In a wood of withered mulberry trees loudly creaked cicadas,
Such is the August scenery of the Xiaoguan Pass.
We have been to the border repeatedly and back,
Where there are reeds, yellowed they all have.
History has it that soldiers sent to the You and Bing regions
Would eventually bite the dust or waste away like dust.
One should neither envy nor take after a wandering cavalier,
Who spends his time bragging about his nag.

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中文原文﹕

久為簪組束，
幸此南夷謫。
閒依農圃鄰，
偶似山林客。
曉耕翻露草，
夜榜響谿石，
來往不逢人，
長歌楚天碧。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

I have long been restrained by the attire of office,
An exile to a remote southern state comes as a blessing in disguise.
I'd spend my spare time with neighbouring farmers and growers,
Into the mountains and woods I'd wander sometimes.
At dawn I till the land and tend to dewy weeds,
I pole my own boat striking stones in the creek at night,
Where I live is out of people's way,
Allowing me to sing on and on to the blue southern skies.

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中文原文﹕

汲井漱寒齒，
清心拂塵服。
閒持貝葉書，
步出東齋讀。

真源了無取，
妄跡世所逐。
遺言冀可冥，
繕性何由熟？

道人庭宇靜，
苔色連深竹；
日出霧露餘，
青松如膏沐。
淡然離言說，
悟悅心自足。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

To freshen up I gargle with well water that chilled my teeth,
With a clear mind I pat off dust on my robes.
I serenely pick up a copy of the Buddhist Scriptures,
I recite as I walk towards the east quarter.

Buddhist true essence is all but misconstrued by the profane,
The worldly suppose the absurd and preposterous to be hope.
The Buddhist teachings can purify the spirit deep within,
Yet how do we make amends to save the soul?

In the courtyard of these austere practitioners all is sobering still,
From verdant moss to green bamboos Nature vividly unfolds;
The sun rises over the remains of morning fog and dew,
As if they have been anointed, mature pines glisten and glow.
In repose feeling no need for words and eloquence,
Pleased with an enlightenment I feel contented and whole.

.

中文原文﹕

永日方慼慼，
出行復悠悠。
女子今有行，
大江泝輕舟。

爾輩苦無恃，
撫念益慈柔。
幼為長所育，
兩別泣不休。
對此結中腸，
義往難復留。

自小闕內訓，
事姑貽我憂。
賴茲托令門，
仁恤庶無尤。
貧儉誠所尚，
資從豈待周！
孝恭遵婦道，
容止順其猷。

別離在今晨，
見爾當何秋？
居閒始自遣，
臨感忽難收。
歸來視幼女，
零淚緣纓流。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

I have been anxious the whole day,
You departed home to a long journey take.
My girl is getting married today,
Upstream in the main river a small boat shall you convey.

Unfortunately you and your sister had to grow up without a mother,
With as much tender love and care as I could provide, you were raised.
Your younger sister was brought up by you,
Parting brought out endless tears from both of you on this unbearable day.
Gut-wrenched I was in seeing you like this,
Yet get married you rightfully should and could not have stayed.

You don't have a mother to teach you on how to be a wife and a daughter-in-law,
I am somewhat worried that you might fall short in serving you parents-in-law.
Fortunately they are a gentle and well-reputed family,
Your parents-in-law should be kind and sane.
Living within means is a virtue to be adhered to,
Therefore there should be no reliance on a dowry being considerable and great!
Be respectful and observe your duties as a married lady,
Be modest and traditions follow on how you appearance and manners maintain.

This morn we bade our farewells,
Who knows when we shall meet again?
Though I am used to sentiments endure and quell,
I cannot such gripping emotions rein.
After seeing your off I returned home and saw my younger daughter,
Down the ribbons off my hat more teardrops came.

.

中文原文﹕

吏舍跼終年，
出郭曠清曙：
楊柳散和風，
青山澹吾慮。

依叢適自憇，
緣澗還復去。
微雨靄芳原，
春鳩鳴何處？

樂幽心屢止，
遵事跡猶遽；
終罷斯結廬，
慕陶直可庶。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Growing tired of the burden of office all year long,
At morning's first light I wander out of town to ease the mind;
Willows leisurely sway in the gentle wind,
The mountain green quells worries and concerns of mine.

Against some thickets I rest in comfort,
Along the creek I stroll to and fro taking my time.
A drizzle falls across the meadow,
Where are the turtle doves that I hear cooing, why are they nowhere in sight?

Though longing for serenity I am subject to shuffles and missions,
My pace inevitably hastens when I have imperial orders to abide by;
One day when it is time to retire I shall return here to build a cottage,
So as to Tao Yuanming's example follow and live with a contented mind.

.

中文原文﹕

落帆逗淮鎮，
停舫臨孤驛。
浩浩風起波，
冥冥日沈夕。

人歸山郭暗，
雁下蘆洲白。
獨夜憶秦關，
聽鐘未眠客。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

The sails were brought down for mooring by a town on the River of Huai,
A roadhouse for officers stood alone by the dockside.
A sudden wind caused waves to surge,
As sunset turned into dimming skies.

Mountains were in the shade of night and it was time to return home,
By the reeds wild geese rested in flocks under the moonlight.
In solitude I reminisced about my time in the capital,
Then came toll of bells, heard by those having a sleepless night.

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