《人间词话》英译（十三）

南唐中主词“菡萏香销翠叶残，西风愁起绿波间。”大有众芳芜秽，美人迟暮之感。乃古今独赏其“细雨梦回鸡塞远，小楼吹彻玉苼寒”，故知解人正不易得。<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

In Li Ching’s tz’u the lines:

The lotus once fragrant is fragrant no more, its blue-green leaves now withered faded,

The west wind in sadness stirs the green waves.

convey so well the feeling of a profusion of exquisite blossoms once lovely now gone to seed, of a beautiful woman approaching the twilight of her years. Yet through the ages men have only admired his:

in the fine rain I return from dreams of Chi-sai fa away.

Through the little tower the notes of the pipes blow cold.