上官婉儿·《彩书怨》英译

叶下洞庭初，思君万里余。

露浓香被冷，月落锦屏虚。 

欲奏江南曲，贪封蓟北书。

书中无别意，惟怅久离居。

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Reproach in a Letter on Colored Paper   

Shangguan Wan’er

When first leaves fall on Lake Dongting,

I long for you, thousands of miles away.

In heavy dew my scented quilt feels cold,

At moonset, brocade screen deserted.

I would play a Southland melody

And crave to seal a letter to Jibei¹.

The letter has no other message but

This misery in living long apart.

1. Jibei, in the far northeastern corner of China, represents a region of frontier warfare, thus suggesting a woman writing to her husband away in the army.