唐诗英译 （一）- 长干行

德龙

前言

儿子修对比文学，教授让读三篇唐诗，附英文翻译。他中文大字不识，拿着诗在我面前显摆。我看了几句英文翻译，实在别扭，再读读附言，居然前辈是从日文的译本翻过来的！

我一怒，嘁哩喀喳，把三首诗翻一遍。

对错，好坏，得空问问老李，老杜。

长干行               The Song of Chang Gan
李白                   Li Bai

妾发初覆额，             The year my hair just grew pass my forehead,
折花门前剧。             I played with you picking flowers at our front.
郎骑竹马来，             You rode on your bamboo horse,
绕床弄青梅。             We circled the backyard well, tossing green plums.
同居长干里，             In Chang Gan Li, we lived together,
两小无嫌猜。             no second guess ever in us two little ones.
十四为君妇，             At fourteen, I became your wife,
羞颜未尝开。             I was too shy to show my blush.
低头向暗壁，             Lowering my eyes, I faced the dark wall,
千唤不一回。             refused to turn around after thousands of pleas.
十五始展眉，             At fifteen, I beamed with joy,
愿同尘与灰。             promised to be with you till ashes to dust.
常存抱柱信，             With the belief that we are inseparable till the end,
岂上望夫台。             how did I end up on the Amah Rock?
十六君远行，             At sixteen, you traveled far,
瞿塘滟滪堆。             to Yan Yu Rock in Qu Tang.
五月不可触，             In May, water there covers up the Yan Yu Rock,
猿声天上哀。             Baboons’ cries sorrow the sky.
门前迟行迹，             Your lingering footprints that left at the front,
一一生绿苔。             each was under the growing moss.
苔深不能扫，             Mosses were way too deep to be swept away,
落叶秋风早。             leaves falling, following the early autumn wind.
八月胡蝶来，             In August, butterflies arrived,
双飞西园草。             fluttered into the west garden in pairs.
感此伤妾心，             My heart sickens in this sight,
坐愁红颜老。             beauty and youth fade in my sitting sorrow.
早晚下三巴，             Whenever you come pass San Ba,
预将书报家。             please send me a letter home in advance.
相迎不道远，             No matter how far away I have to travel to greet you,
直至长风沙。             even go all the way to Chang Feng Sha.

May: Lunar year calendar.  It could be in late June or early July.
Baboons cry for the people in those sinking ships.
August: Lunar year calendar.  It could be in late September or early October.