紛紛墜葉飄香砌           夜寂静             寒聲碎
真珠簾卷玉樓空           天淡銀河垂地
年年今夜          月華如練          長是人千里

愁腸已斷無由醉           酒未到             先成淚
殘燈明滅枕頭倚           諳盡孤眠滋味
都來此事          眉間心上          無計相回避

Tune: Strolling on Royal Walk          Fan Zhong Yan (969-1052)    江紹倫譯

On fragrant steps green leaves shower
In a night still
Broken sounds chill 

Behind rolled up curtains an empty bower
From a pale sky the Milky Ways lower

This night every year
Bright moonlight near
We are a thousand li apart 

…

A broken heart allows me not to get drunk
Before wines arrive
Tears have my face covered

I rest on my pillow alone in flickering light
To feel the sorrow of a lonely night 

Griefs as they appear
On brows or deep in the heart
Unavoidable they are

候館梅殘    溪橋柳細    草薰風暖搖征轡

離愁漸遠漸無窮    迢迢不斷如春水

寸寸柔腸    盈盈粉淚    樓高莫近危闌倚

平蕪盡處是春山    行人更在春山外

Tune: Treading On Grass       Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072)  江紹倫譯

Mume blossoms by the roadside are fading
Willow trees near the small bridge greening
Amid warm air and fragrant grass a rider is set to go

The farther he roams the heavier his parting grief grows
On and on like torrents in the spring river flow

Tender guts hurt inch by inch
On her teary face longing eyes are locked in
Against the railing up high she must not lean

To the end of the plain lies the spring hills
Her rider husband is already beyond her view

輕舟短棹西湖好
綠水逶迤
芳草長堤
隐隐笙歌處處随

無風水面琉璃滑
不覺船移
微動漣漪
驚起沙禽掠岸飛

Tune: Picking Mulberries                  Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072)       江紹倫譯

On a light boat pedaled by short oars the West Lake is fair
Crystal water white and clear
Beyond the blue grass appears the long dike
Light music echoes hitter and thither delight

Smooth as a mirror is the lake when no breeze blowing
One feels the boat not moving
Ripples their shimmering flare
Frightened water birds skim over the winding shore

群芳過後西湖好
狼籍殘紅
飛絮蒙蒙
垂柳欄幹盡日風

笙歌散盡遊人去
始覺春空
垂下簾右櫳
雙燕歸來細雨中

Tune: Picking Mulberries                  Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072) 江紹倫譯

Rid of colourful flowers the West Lake stays fair
Scattered red petals everywhere
Catkins fill the air like a mist veil
Wavy willows along rails invite breezes all day

Music and singers gone with visitors
Feeling spring empty
I lower the blinds in vain
A pair of swallows appear returning in drizzling rain

寶髻鬆鬆挽就
鉛華淡淡妝成
青姻翠霧罩輕盈
飛絮游絲無定

相見不如不見
有情還似無情
笙歌散後酒微醒
深院月明人靜

Tune: Moon on West River                Sima Guang (1019-1086)  江紹倫譯

She has her hair done up in a bun fluffy
Wearing simple makeup she appears happy
Delightful as engulfed in a purple mist
Her graceful steps light as willow downs I shall miss

Before we part we already wish to meet
Our love appears casual it is by no means weak
Tipsiness overcomes there are no more songs
Nobody around in the deep courtyard the moon shines on

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