无名氏·《鹊踏枝》英译

叵耐灵鹊多谩语，

送喜何曾有凭据。

几度飞来活捉取，

锁上金笼休共语。

比拟好心来送喜，

谁知锁我在金笼里。

欲他征夫早归来，

腾身却放我向青云里。

Tune: “The Magpie on a Branch”

Anonymous

How can I bear to hear the chattering magpie

Announce the happy news on which I can’t rely?

So thus I catch it alive when it flies to me again

And shut it in a cage where lonely ’twill remain.

-With good intent I brought her a happy message.

Who would expect she’d shut me in a golden cage?

I wish her husband would come back soon so that I

Might be set free and take my flight to the blue sky.