《離思》 (唐)元稹 (779~831)

曾經滄海難為水   除却巫山不是雲
取次花叢懶回顧   半缘修道半缘君

To My Lover                                      江紹倫譯

I’ve crossed many seas to devote myself to water
In my heart no cloud can compare with the cloud of Mt. Mu
Among flowers in profusion I’ve been tardy to pursue
Partly for my devotion to Dao partly because I love you

To My Departed Wife                    translated by Paul Lee (1962) 2009/12/22

Having crossed the Cang Sea makes it hard to call anything else water
Nothing qualifies as cloud once I have seen those at Wu Mountain
I walked passed a bevy of beauties and did not care to look back
Partly because I am cultivating discipline and partly because of you.

《菊花》 (唐)元稹 (779~831)

秋叢繞舍似陶家      遍繞籬邊日漸斜
不是花中偏愛菊      此花開盡更無花

Chrysanthemum                                 江紹倫譯       

Autumn mums adorn my cottage as they did Tao’s house in days old
Along the hedge their brilliance so vivid I linger until the sun hangs low
I can’t be blamed for loving this flower my appreciation partial
Whence they wither away there will be no flower to follow

寄揚州韓綽判官 (唐)杜牧

青山隱隱水迢迢    秋盡江南草未凋
二十四橋明月夜    玉人何處教吹簫

To Magistrate Han of Yang Zhou                 江紹倫譯

Behind the green hills water flows far
With autumn leaving the south grass is yet to wither
Whence the twenty four bridges in town aflame by moonshine
Where is your favourite lass whose flute music rendition so fine

《虞美人:相見歡 》 (南唐) 李煜 (937-978)

花秋月何時了  往事知多少
小樓昨夜又東風  故國不堪回首月明中
 

雕欄玉砌應猶在  只是朱顏改
問君能有幾多愁  恰似一江春水向東流
 

《Tune: Yu the Beautiful: Happily Together 》   江紹倫譯

Whence in cycles of spring flowers and autumn moon will time stand still
Of past events how many should remain on my memory wheel
Vernal breeze showed pity again warming my humble chamber last night
Down memory lane I dare not trot reviewing my lost kingdom by moonlight

Jade palaces their carvings and mouldings delight must still be around
So many fair lasses there before now no longer around
Did you ask how many sad memories I keep my consciousness on
They flow like river torrents in spring on and on

李白: 題峰顶寺 (夜宿山寺)

Submitted on 2009/12/14 at 1:29am

I am Andrew Wong, Wah Yan Hong Kong matriculation 1963. Last week, I came across your blog by accident and discovered you are translating Tang and Song poetry in earnest. I happen to share this interest. Fr. John Turner was after all my teacher. And I think F.Y. Yu and I read poetry under Edmund Blunden in 1963-64 at the University of Hong Kong. Here is my rendition of a version of the same poem by the older Li Bai:-

李白: 題峰顶寺 (夜宿山寺)

Li Bai (701-762): Written at the Summit Temple
(Lodged for the Night at a Mountain Temple)

1 夜宿峰頂寺(危樓高百尺)
2 舉手捫(手可摘)星辰
3 不敢高聲語
4 恐驚天上人

1 I lodge for the night at Summit Temple,
2 Can touch, at arm’s reach, the stars so nigh;
3 Yet I dare not raise my voice in speech,
4 For fear might disturb the beings up high.

Translated by Andrew Wong W.F. Wong (Huang Hongfa) 譯者: 黄宏發
8th December 2009 (revised 10.12.09: 11.12.09; 12.12.09)

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晨詣超師院讀禪經 (唐) 柳宗元 (773-819)

汲井漱寒齒   清心拂塵服  閑持貝葉書  步出東齋讀
真源了無取   妄跡世所逐  遺言冀可冥  繕性何由熟
道人庭宇靜   苔色連深竹  日出霧露餘  青松如膏沐
澹然離言說   悟悅心自足

Reading Zen With Master Chao One Early Morning         江紹倫譯

With cold water from the well I rinsed my mouth
Mind unperturbed I cleaned my gown any dust brushed out
Carefully I spread open the Sutra inscribed on durable leaves
To read it outside my study facing east

Buddhism truths their sources are difficult to identify
Many wisdowm seekers tried hard but failed to find
Words of Zen promise the enlightened bliss in Nirvana
O How I’d love to embark on the way to be near the parameter

‘Tis still and serene here in my master’s terrain
Moss verdant adjoin deep bamboo paths their spirit pertain
At dawn traces of mist and dew Nature keeps
Demure pines after overnight baths their fresh looks attract zealous peeps

Master Chao wears a smile saying not a word
He has me enlightened although untaught

相見歡 《虞美人》 (南唐) 李煜 (937-978)

春花秋月何时了,往事知多少。小楼昨夜又东风,故国不堪回首月明中。
雕阑玉砌应犹在,只是朱颜改。问君能有几多愁,恰似一江春水向东流。

Translation by YK Chan

Happy Together: In the tune of “Beautiful Lady Yu”
Li Yu (937-978)

Would spring blossom and autumn moon ever stop to recur,
as numerous old stories in me already made a stir?
When balmy air breezed at night into this humble chamber again,
under moonlight I couldn’t bear to recall my fatherland.

The opulent palace at Jinling shalt still stay,
where pretty maids with rouged faces and all but fade.
How much grief can I hold at bay,
when it rolls like the vernal Yangzi on its easterly way?

楓橋夜泊  (唐)張繼

月落烏啼霜滿天        江楓漁火對愁眠
姑蘇城外寒山寺        夜半鐘聲到客船

Mooring by Maple Bridge Overnight         江紹倫譯

The moon resigns amid crow cries in a snowy sky
Under lofty maple trees dimly lit river boats lie side by side
Cold Hill Temple stands outside the Gu Su city wall
Bells toll at midnight to break the stillness for boatmen at moor

大林寺桃花 (唐) 白居易

人間四月芳菲盡        山寺桃花始盛開
長恨春歸無覓處        不知轉入此中來

Peach Blossom at Da Lin Temple                 江紹倫譯

By the fourth moon flowers everywhere are all but fallen
Here on temple ground peach flowers only begin to blossom
I oft regret when spring is gone it leaves no trace
Knowing not it has come to adorn this place