林以宁·《赠宛琼女史》英译

月中仙人结璘子，银海回风漾空翠。

广寒青桂生紫芽，水蟾蚀作鸳鸯字。

清光独夜照三吴，采香泾畔多名姝。

日射帘旌金鹊尾，春窗睡足红氍毹。

蜀纸新裁鸾凤帖，同心重绾菖蒲叶。

玉寒手擘荔枝浆，镫红酒晕芙蓉颊。

风剪春英碎粉霞，幻作衣间双蛱蝶。

绿云鬌黄金珰，方空半臂凝脂香。

瑶岛承恩夕宴罢，寒星乱落参差光。

Presented to the Lady Scholar Wanqiong

Lin Yining

The immortal moon-dweller, Lady of Condensed Radiance, ¹

From her ocean of silver clouds hurls down winds rippling blue-green foliage in the sky.

In the moon Palace of Vast Coldness purple buds appear on a dark cassia tree;

Icy toad fashions the words: “a pair of mandarin ducks.”²

Light of the moon shining solitary in the night illumines the three regions of Wu; ³

Collecting sweet scents along riverbanks are many well-praised girls.

A ray of sun penetrates the blinds, golden magpie’s long tailfeather;

By the window she wakes, refreshed from sleep on the red woolen mat.

Newly made of fine paper from Shu there is her wedding announcement,

And calamus leaves tied in a double loveknot.

Cold white jades are her hands rubbed with lychee powder; ⁴

Under shining red lanterns, wine sets hibiscus cheeks glowing.

Breezes scissor spring flowers, shatter to shreds the sunset clouds;

She imagines that he and she are the paired butterflies in the pattern of her dress.

Dark clouds, her coiled chignons, yellow gold, the pendants at her ears;

From her wrist, a moment exposed, an aroma of fragrant oils deliquescing.

At a scene of otherworldly magnificence she becomes his honored wife, and then

The nights’ festivities are done; in a glittering shower, the cold stars set.

1. The reference is to Chang E, goddess of the moon. 

2. These lines are replete with moon lore; on the lunar palace, the toad, and the cassia tree,

3. Suzhou, Runzhou, and Huzhou were known informally as Eastern Wu, Central Wu, and Western Wu, respectively.  

4. Known primarily for its fruit, the lychee tree also provided medicinal substances and a white starch that was used cosmetically.      

（Maureen Robertson 译）