宋祁·《锦缠道·燕子呢喃》英译

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景色乍长春昼。

睹园林，

万花如绣。

海棠经雨胭脂透。

柳展宫眉，

翠拂行人首。 　　

 

向郊原踏青，

恣歌携手。

醉醺醺、

尚寻芳酒。

问牧童、

遥指孤村道，

杏花深处，

那里人家有？

 

Jinchandao

A spring excursion

Song Qi

 

With swallows flying and twittering about,

A spring morn seems, on a sudden, to unfold.

Multifarious flowers in gardens, appear—

As a lengthy bolt of silk brocade unrolled.

 

Red begonias freshen after a rain,

As though o’er them several rough-coatings lie.

Willow-sprigs bend like eye-brows of court ladies—

So low, some caress the heads of passers-by.

 

Towards the suburbs, we take a leisurely stroll.

Hand in hand, we launch out into verse and line.

We must confess we are in a fuddled state.

Yet, we are looking for more excellent wine.

 

We ask a shepherd where such can be obtained.

To a far, sequestered hamlet, points the lad.

He says, deep among the apricot flowers,

Is that where such as drunkards love can he had.