赵翼《梦亡内作》诗英译

“A Poem Composed after Dreaming of My Late Wife” 夢亡內作

生前心事有餘悲，入夢依然淚暗垂。

   從我正當貧賤日，與君多半別離時。

   紙錢豈解營環佩，絮酒難償啖粥糜。

   一穗寒燈重悵憶，簾前新月似愁眉。

 

My concerns of things before your death provoke endless sorrow,

Even in dreams my tears still secretly flow. 

You married me just when I was poor and lowly,

And in most of the time, you and I were in separation.

How could paper money understand preparing you with a jade pendant?

The libation I offered is hard to recompense your suffering of eating [only] congee.

An ear of cold wick strengthens my sad memory,

The new moon before the curtain is like your knitted eyebrow.

(9-4-2021)