《红楼梦》·《柳絮词·临江仙》英译

白玉堂前春解舞，

东风卷得均匀。

蜂围蝶阵乱纷纷，

几曾随逝水，

岂必委芳尘。

万缕千缕终不改，

任他随聚随分。

韶华休笑本无根，

好风凭借力，

送我上青云！

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Lin-jiang-xian

 

In mazy dances over the marble forecourt,

Wind-whorled, into trim fluff-balls forming—

Like fluttering moths or silent white bees swarming:

Not for us a tomb in the running waters,

Or the earth’s embalming.

 

The filaments whence we are formed remain unchanging,

No matter what separates or unifies.

Do not, earth-child, our rootlessness despise:

When the strong wind comes he will whirl us upwards

Into the skies.

 

（David Hawkes 译）

 

“Immortal Overlooking the River” air

 

In front of the white jade hall in spring they begin to dance.

The East wind whirls them about in rhythmic fashion.

The swarm of bees, the butterflies’ array, are all in confusion.

To a certain extend they have followed the following water.

Surely they must not give up the fragrant dust,

Ten thousand strands, a thousand threads of silk in the end are not good.

Let them now assemble, now separate, as they please.

Splendour, cease to laugh. In fact they are without root.

They are fond of the wind and avail themselves of its force,

And escort me up to the blue clouds.

 

（B.S. Bonsall 译）

 

Linjiangxian

 

Dancing at ease in spring before white jade halls,

Swirling gracefully in the spring breeze

While whirling all around me

Are butterflies and bees.

I have never followed the following stream,

Why then should I abandon myself to the dust?

Constant to ten thousand boughs,

Whether together or parted I keep trust.

Do not jeer at me as rootless,

But lend me strength, good wind,

To soar up to the azure sky at last.

 

（杨宪益、戴乃迭 译）