无名氏·《西洲曲》英译

忆梅下西洲，折梅寄江北。

单衫杏子红，双髻鸦雏色 。

西洲在何处，两桨桥头渡。

日暮伯劳飞，风吹乌臼树。

树下即门前，门中露翠钿。

开门郎不至，出门采红莲。

采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头。

低头弄莲子，莲子青如水。

置莲怀袖中，莲心彻底红。

忆郎郎不至，仰首望飞鸿。

鸿飞满西洲，望郎上青楼，

楼高望不见，尽日栏杆头。

栏杆十二曲，垂手明如玉。

卷帘天自高。海水遥空绿。

海水梦悠悠，君愁我亦愁。

南风知我意，吹梦到西洲。

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West Island—Remember?

Anonymous

 

Plum blossoms snowing on West Island—remember? Now the plum trees are in blossom again, but he’s up north. Why not send him a spray? Yes, send him a spray.

Remember the apricots ripening? Blushful beauty in summer dress, her hair the envy of raven fledglings.

Remember the place? West Island is not far off. But to row over there of an evening, only to find the shrikes wheeling low and the wind sighing in the trees—ah!

The trees—do they know? Those in front of her house might notice the door open quietly in the morning, the would-be-happy maiden appear and, not finding the one awaited, make for the lake where lotus blooms glow softly red.

Lotus blooms are to be gathered in season. As summer passes into autumn, they grow to a height quite above the maiden in the boat.

She bows before the lotus. Look at the fruits, fresh and green as the spring of their being. These fruits let her cherish, for they are red at the core, full of quenchless fire.

The fire she will tend; but is it to be a memory, no more? She watches for the wild geese coming south. Skein after skein arrives, settling on West Island, but none has a message for her.

She goes to the top of her bower. High as it is, it fails to bring him within sight. All day long she stops at the balustrade, till the last glimmer of light dies out and the sky looks like a dark heaving sea.

“Draw up the blinds. Let me be face to face with the infinite.

“Unbounded as the blue expanse our freedom should be—at least in dream. Yet we are not free from sorrow, neither of us.

“Would the south wind have compassion and carry us back to West Island—in dream at least?”

 

（翁显良 译）