香冷金猊 被翻紅浪 起來慵自梳頭
猊
猊
任寶奩塵滿 日上簾鉤
生怕離懷別苦 多少事 欲說還休
新來瘦 非干病酒 不是悲秋
休休 這回去也 千萬遍陽關 也則難留
念武陵人遠 煙鎖秦樓
惟有樓前流水 應念我 終日凝眸
凝眸處 從今又添 一段新愁
Recalling Our Flute Duet At Phoenix Terrace Li Qing-zhao (1084-1156) 江紹倫譯
Cold incense resting in the censer in gold
I tossed in bed sleepless my quilt in waves of red folds
Idly I get up to comb my hair slow
I tossed in bed sleepless my quilt in waves of red folds
Idly I get up to comb my hair slow
Let dusts gather in my dresser full
Let the sun creeps up the drape closed
Seized by fears of parting and separation pain
A lot need be said
Words disappeared before they could be let
Recently I have lost much weight
Not due to excessive drinking
Nor because of autumn feeling
Be as it may be as it may
However we sing the parting song you will leave anyway
I’ll hold you dear however far you may stray
From my bower engulfed in haze
The stream near home its flow will continue
Standing witness of how I pine for you
Gazing in absence day after day
Where I fix my gaze
A new grief begins hence to stay
hi,
i like your translated piece very much– short, clean, crisp. i like also your English title.
for me, i’m trying to explain briefly in the translation itself those specific references made in the original ci (without having to add any notations as footnotes). hence, it’s a little verbose (by necessity i hope). here’s my rendition from another angle, please:
【鳳凰台上億吹蕭】 李清照(1084-1151)
香冷金猊，被翻紅浪，起來慵自梳頭。 任寶奩塵滿，日上簾鉤。 生怕離懷別苦，多少事，欲說還休。 新來瘦，非干病酒，不是悲秋。
休休！這回去也，千萬遍《陽關》，也則難留。念武陵人遠，煙鎖秦樓。惟有樓前流水，應念我、終日凝眸。凝眸處，從今又添、一段新愁。
Re-calling the Flute-Duet at Phoenix Terrace Li Qingzhao
In the lion-head golden burner, cold incense is found;
Like red waves, the embroidered quilt is tossed around.
Getting up, my hair I care not to comb and wound.
On the pretty mirror box, let the dusts there sleep;
Now, high up to the curtain hooks the sunbeams creep.
I’m afraid of parting sorrows and longing pain.
For many things, the best results to attain —
From speaking, one must know when to abstain.
I have lost weight these few days —
It’s not due to my drinking the day away,
Nor lamenting autumn is due to decay.
Let it be, let it be! This time, you must go away!
A million times the “Parting Song” we might play,
But here, these shall never make you stay!
The visitor at Peach-Blossom Country has strayed far and long;
Lingering mists still lock onto the Phoenix Terrace strong.
In front of our Qin mansion — only the flowing waters gay
Will not forget me — this is where I shall fix my gaze all day.
Where my pining gaze is fixed each long day,
A layer of new sorrows, again, is laid!