钱凤纶·《美人梳头歌》英译

新林一声啼绿鸟，三十六宫春欲晓。<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

床上辘轳牵素绠，秋水溶溶镜光冷。

渐看红日卷珠帘，双弯却有眉纤纤。

玉凤斜飞亸金蝉，佩环摇摇曳湘烟。

下阶独自摘芳蕊，樱桃笑侬不结子。

Composed to the Song “A Beautiful Woman Combs Her Hair”  

Qian Fenglun

From the new-leaved grove a green bird’s sudden call;

Over palace women’s quarters spring dawn is about to break.

By her bed a silken cord linked to the well-pulley;

Autumn-clear water gushes, her mirror coldly gleams.

Watching the red sun, slowly she rolls up pearl blinds;

Twin arcs, half-moons, are her brows traced so fine.

Jade phoenix flies atilt, golden cicada dangles; ¹

Sash pendants swing and sway, trailing Xiang River mist. ²

Then down the stair alone she goes to pick for herself sweet buds:

“These cherry blossoms laugh at me because I bear no fruit!”

1. These lines refer to waking, washing, and painting the brows. The woman then finishes combing her hair and places hairpins and ornaments in her coiffure.    

2. The Xiang River was the dwelling place of one, perhaps two, alluring female river spirits. The woman in this poem is thus represented as divinely beautiful. 

（Maureen Robertson 译）