洛神賦 – 曹植 （節譯二）

洛神賦 – 曹植 （節譯二）

 

愿诚素之先达兮，解玉佩以要之。嗟佳人之信修，羌习礼而明诗。抗琼珶以和予兮，指潜渊而为期。执眷眷之款实兮，惧斯灵之我欺。感交甫之弃言兮，怅犹豫而狐疑。收和颜而静志兮，申礼防以自持。于是洛灵感焉，徙倚彷徨，神光离合，乍阴乍阳。竦轻躯以鹤立，若将飞而未翔。践椒涂之郁烈，步蘅薄而流芳。超长吟以永慕兮，声哀厉而弥长。尔乃众灵杂遢，命俦啸侣，或戏清流，或翔神渚，或采明珠，或拾翠羽。从南湘之二妃，携汉滨之游女。叹匏瓜之无匹兮，咏牵牛之独处。扬轻袿之猗靡兮，翳修袖以延伫。休迅飞凫，飘忽若神，陵波微步，罗袜生尘。动无常则，若危若安。进止难期，若往若还。转眄流精，光润玉颜。含辞未吐，气若幽兰。华容婀娜，令我忘餐。于是屏翳收风，川后静波。

 

My wish urged me to express myself first,

I offered her my jade pendant as a sincere token.

Good heavens, she was so virtuous, so well-versed

In poesy and rites, which her deeds had well spoken.   

 

With her own jade, for me she did part  

Pointing to a deep creek as our rendezvous.

Though sincere affections welled up in my heart,

I feared if she tricked me, that would be ado.

 

The tale of “Jiaofu and twain Nymphs’ Broken Oath”

Somewhat forced my mind to dilly-dally,

Though I tried to conceal my doubt in her troth,

Using rituals to ease my deeds shilly-shally

 

The spirit of the Luo River must have felt my vibe,

In silence, she lingered nearby with luminescence.

Now bright, now dim, a delicate figure to describe

Her sublime vibe via her fluorescence.

 

Like a celestial crane about to fly,

But not yet ready to soar,

She was tarrying on the fragrant path hard by,

Her steps left a trail of lingering fragrance galore.

 

Singing a melody to express her deep longing,

Her voice shivered with unenduring woe.

Anon, various spirits were thronging,

Some played in the clear stream, to and fro...

 

Others soared over many a sandbar.

Some collected bright pearls,

Others picked colourful feathers, near or far,

With two Xiang River Faeries, other heavenly girls,

 

And eke the water nymphs from the shore of Han,

Together, they lamented the Calabash lacks a mate,

And sang of the lonely Cow-herding man,

She fluttered her long sleeves with ultra-light gait,

 

Waiting in anticipation without words

Faeries were moving their bodies with grace,

Flickering and flying like spirited birds,

Stepping on the waves with soft pace.

 

Their silk stockings stirred mist up like dust.

Hither or thither, they were moving sans girt,

Now poised, now shifting like gust

Intractable, back or forth or around they would skirt.  

 

Sometimes nigh, sometimes far,

Their faces like ruby and jade aglow

Their glances shone like many a shining star,

Their words remained unspoken though.

 

Their breath like orchids so sweet,

Their appearance so elegant, well-designed,

Which made me forget to eat.

The wind ceased; the waves calmed, both confined.

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

(To be revised)

17/07/2024