（古詩英譯）木兰诗

木兰诗

 

Lyric of Mulan

 

唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。

不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。

 

Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack,  

Through threads Mulan’s shuttle moves forth and back.

No sound of her weaving shuttle

All could hear her sighing “alack., alack.”

 

问女何所思，问女何所忆。

女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。

 

“Dear daughter, oh, what’s hassling you?

“What has made you suffer a mood of blue?”

“Dear Dad, nothing has bothered me,

 Meanwhile I suffer nothing ado.” 

 

昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵。

军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。

 

She saw a conscription last night,

Khan was enlisting his subjects to fight.

There were twelve military rolls,

On every roll her dad’s name was in sight. 

 

阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄。

愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。

 

No male firstborn to her dear dad,

Therefore, no elder brother Mulan had

She’d buy a saddle and a horse,

In her dad’s stead, she’d join th’ troop as a lad. 

 

东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，

南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。

 

In the east fair, a steed she bought,

In the west market, a saddle she got.

In the south fair, a bridal-wear,

In the north market, for a whip she sought. 

 

旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。

不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。

 

At dawn, she bade her folks goodbye,

At dusk, the Yellow River she lay nigh.

She couldn't hear summons from her folks,

But only the yellow river’s loud roar and cry.

 

旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头。

不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。

 

At dawn, she left the riverside,

At dusk, the Mountain hight Black she espied.  

She couldn’t hear summons from her folks

But Turk’s horses at Mt. Yan neigh from far and wide.

 

万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。

朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。

 

From miles away to the frontier,

Through Mt. Guan, as if she’d flown, she cut clear.

The north wind echoed the night-gong,   

The cold moon brightly shined her battle gear. 

 

将军百战死，壮士十年归。

归来见天子，天子坐明堂。

 

Few generals remained alive,

Though a war of ten years, she did survive.

All warriors in Khan’s hall,

khan lauded them for so much they did strive.      

 

策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。
可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，

 

The highest honour Khan bestowed,

The gifts Khan granted many a carload.

Khan asked Mulan what rank she’d like,

No crave for any high rank Mulan showed.    

 

愿驰千里足，送儿还故乡。

爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将；

 

But she would prefer a swift steed,

Hence, gallop home in no time at all she’d.

Her folks heard their Mulan returned,

Both rushed out to meet her at fastest speed.   

 

阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆；

小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。

 

Her sis rouged her cheeks, as she learnt,

Mulan, from the battlefields she returned.

When her younger bro heard this news,

He honed his knife, barbecued meat, the grill he turned. 

 

开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。

脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。

 

Inside, she opened the east door,   

Sitting on her bed in west of boudoir  

She took off her heavy armour,

And then put on what she normally wore.      

 

当窗理云鬓，对镜帖花黄。

出门看火伴，火伴皆惊忙：

 

The windows saw her do her hair,

The mirror watched her don bloomy headwear.

Now out to see her old comrades,

She dazzled them her countenance so fair. 

 

同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。

雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；

 

Together for o’er a decade,

They never knew Mulan was in fact a fair maid.

Jack keeps pawing his fluffy feet,

Jill oft squints, thus an eyeline can be made.    

 

双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？

 

Both stroll side by side as all see,

Who could tell which one of the two is he or she?

 

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

 

(To be revised)