蔡琰·《胡笳十八拍·第一拍》英译

我生之初尚无为，我生之后汉祚衰。

天不仁兮降乱离，地不仁兮使我逢此时。

干戈日寻兮道路危，民卒流亡兮共哀悲。

烟尘蔽野兮胡虏盛，志意乖兮节义亏。

对殊俗兮非我宜，遭恶辱兮当告谁。

笳一会兮琴一拍，心溃死兮无人知。

 

Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute     

Cai Yan        

 

Song 1   

             

In the early part of my life, equity still governed the empire,

But later in my life the Han throne fell into decay.

Heaven was not humane, sending down rebellion and chaos,

Earth was not humane, causing me to encounter such a time.

War gear was a daily commonplace, and travel by road was dangerous,

The common people fled, all plunged in wretchedness.

Smoke and dust darkened the countryside, overrun by barbarians;

They knocked aside my widow’s vows, and my chastity was lost.

Their strange customs were so utterly foreign to me

Whom can I possibly tell of my calamity, shame, and grief?

One measure for the nomad flute, one stanza for the qin,

No one can know my heart’s agony and anger!