叶梦得·《水调歌头》英译

九月望日，与客习射西园，余偶病不能射，客较胜相先。将领岳德弓强二石五斗，连发三中的，观者尽惊。因作此词示坐客。前一夕大风，是日始寒。

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霜降碧天静，秋事促西风。寒声隐地初听，中夜入梧桐。起瞰高城回望，寥落关河千里，一醉与君同。叠鼓闹清晓，飞骑引雕弓。岁将晚，客争笑，问衰翁：平生豪气安在？走马为谁雄？何似当筵虎士，挥手弦声响处，双雁落遥空。老矣真堪愧，回首望云中。

 

Prelude to Water Melody

 

Archery

 

Ye Mengde

 

Frost falls and quiet is the azune sky,

The west wind blows and hastens autumn high.

At first its song shivers me,

At midnight it enters the plane tree.

I rise to mount the city wall and gaze

To find mountains and rivers stretch for miles in haze.

What can I do

But to get drunk with you?

Drum beats on beats announce daylight,

The cavaliers bend their bow in flight.

 

The end of the year draws nigh,

In laughter guests would vie.

They ask me, old

If I can still be bold

As in days gone by.

Can I still ride my horse

And try my force?

Could I be like the archer who with ease

Would twang the string

With his fingers and bring

Down two wild geese

From the high sky?

I regret that old now, I cannot draw my bow

But turn my head to the northwest in the cloud

And long for heroes proud.