望海潮 柳永 (987-1053)

望海潮     柳永 (987-1053)
Tune: Watching the Tides      Liu Yong (987-1053)   江紹倫譯

東南形勝    江吳都會    錢塘自古繁華
Southeast scenic splendor
Capital of ancient Kingdom Wu
Qiantang thrives today as ever

煙柳畫橋    風簾翠幕    參差十萬人家
Misty willows along painted bridges
Breezy windows their curtains green
To adorn a hundred thousand dwellings

雲樹繞堤沙  怒濤卷霜雪  天塹無涯    市列珠璣    戶盈羅绮競豪奢
Cloud-crowned tees surround the sandy banks
Roaring waves roll up a sky of snowy sands
This river extends to land’s end
Mounts of pearly jewels on display at the daily fair
Homes filled with splendid silk and satin array
Folks here compete in magnificent opulence

… 

重湖疊瓛清嘉      有三秋桂子  十裏荷花
Layers of lakes reflect the peaks and serene towers
Autumn fragrances linger with osmanthus flowers
Ten thousand li of blooming lotus

羌管弄晴    菱歌泛夜    嬉嬉釣叟蓮娃
Northern pipes play with sunshine
Water chestnut songs sung on starry nights
Old fishermen and native maidens beam with delight

千騎擁高牙  乘醉聽簫鼓  吟賞煙霞
A thousand stallions hoisting flags to bid your arrival
Tipsy you may best appreciate melodies of flutes and drums
Chanting praises for this wonderful land beneath the sun

異日圖將好景      歸去鳳池誇
On a future date you might render this grand scene in flowery narrations
And boast your experience to the court with warm affection

憶帝京 柳永 (987-1053)

帝京 柳永 (987-1053)
Tune: Recalling the Imperial Capital       Liu Yong (987-1053)  江紹倫譯

薄衾小枕天氣         乍覺别離滋味
展轉數寒更        起了還重睡
畢竟不成眠        一夜長如歲

In meager quilt and small pillow when weather is cold
I begin to suffer the parting sorrow
Tossing in bed I count the chilly hours
Getting up only to return to bed however
Can’t sleep
The night feels lonely as year

也擬待      卻回征轡
又争奈      已成行計
萬種思量    多方開解    隻恁寂寞厭厭地

How I wish to return to you for perpetual stay
But I’m already far away
A thousand deliberations entertained
Mounts of excuses said in vain
They only accentuate my loneliness as much as I hate

系我一身心  負你千行淚

My heart is tied to you my remaining years
Not enough to compensate for all your tears

雨霖铃 (宋)柳永(987~1054)

Tune: Bells Drowned By Rain                      江紹倫譯

寒蟬凄切        Cicadas tuned dreary in the cold
對長亭晚        We sojourned at the pavilion till the evening is old
驟雨初歇        Showers over

都門帳飲無緒      Under the city gate we drank in dull mood
留戀處                 Lingering
蘭舟催發             Your departing boat tooted 

執手相看淚眼     Hand in hand we gazed at each other in teary eyes
竟無語凝噎         With congealed sobs words come not to say good bye

念去去                    Ahead as you go
千里烟波                A thousand li of waves and mist lie
暮靄沉沉楚天闊     Clouds are heavy in the boundless southern sky

多情自古傷離别   Those deep in love must suffer parting sorrow since days of old
更那堪冷落清秋節 Especially parting in the autumn cold

今宵酒醒何處       Where will I be after tonight when becoming sober
楊柳岸                  On banks of willows
曉風残月              Moon resigning in day-break breezes

此去經年                   With you away for years
應是良辰好景虚設     All bright days and pleasing scenery here will exist in vain

便縱有千種風情       If I should ever coquette in a thousand ways
更與何人說             To whom should I show my feelings anyway

鳳栖梧 II (宋)柳永(987~1054)

佇倚危樓風细细
望極春愁
黯黯生天際
草色烟光残照里
無言誰會憑闌意。

擬把疏狂圖一醉
對酒當歌
强樂還無味

衣带漸寬終不悔
為伊消得人憔悴

Tune: Phoenix Perch on Parasol                   江紹倫譯

I stand alone on the balcony in light breeze
To confront spring sorrows
Parting grief loom in the horizon a dark gleam
At sunset smoke rises where grass is green
With no word to tell who would know why on these rails I lean

‘Tis my intend to dare getting drunk in a wink
For cups of wine I sing
Strained mirth will relief not bring

I regret not my waist-band loosens as it must be
Languish I accept when it comes to loving thee

八聲甘州 (宋)柳永(987~1054)

對瀟瀟暮雨灑江天  一番洗清秋

漸霜風凄緊        關河冷落    殘照當樓

是處紅衰綠減      苒苒物華休  惟有長江水  無語東流

不忍登高臨遠      望故鄉渺邈  歸思難收

嘆年來蹤跡        何事苦淹留

想佳人  妝樓顒望  誤幾回  天際識歸舟

爭知我  倚闌干處  正恁凝愁

 

Tune: Eight Beats From Ganzhou Music    江紹倫譯

Against the incessant late showers river and sky stand
Awashed instantly autumn looks new again

Gradually fierce gales blow dreary and chill
Few souls stay by the hill or rill
In my lonely lodge only fading sunlight remains still

All vegetations green or red have withered
No more splendour
Only currents of the Yangtzi River
Flow steadily east silent as ever

I dare not ascend high to look far and around
In search of my native land lost where to be found
Homesickness abound

To my roving I sigh
Lingering here and there I know not why

My beloved must be watching from her bower with longing eyes
How oft had she mistaken a returning boat on horizon to be mine

Little would she know
I am also watching from this balcony rail
Pinning for her my heart frozen in sorrow