袁去华·《水调歌头·定王台》英译

雄跨洞庭野，楚望古湘州。何王台殿，危基百尺自西刘。尚想霓旌千骑，依约入云歌吹，屈指几经秋。叹息繁华地，兴废两悠悠。<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

登临处，乔木老，大江流。书生报国无地，空白九分头。一夜寒生关塞，万里云埋陵阙，耿耿恨难休。徙倚霜风里，落日伴人愁。

Prelude to Water Melody

Prince Ting’s Terrace

Towering over the lakeside

In ancient southern state far and wide,

Whose palace hall is it?

And by which prince?

Its base still stands a hundred feet high since.

I fancy a thousand steeds with rainbow flags proud

And songs and music waft into the cloud.

How many autumns have passed so fast!

I sigh over the magnificent capital.

Over its rise and fall!

Where I climb high,

Old is the tree,

The great river flows by.

What can I do to make our motherland free?

Nine-tenths of my hair have grown white,

The cold invades the frontier overnight.

The palaces proud are buried for miles in cloud.

How can my wrath be done?

In vain I’m lost in wind and frost.

My grief is only shared by the setting sun.