自娱自乐
译写春秋，译路同行。
好了歌註 – （紅樓夢）曹雪芹
陋室空堂，当年笏满床；
衰草枯杨，曾为歌舞场。
蛛丝儿结满雕梁，绿纱今又糊在蓬窗上。
说什么脂正浓，粉正香，如何两鬓又成霜？
昨日黄土陇头送白骨，今宵红灯帐底卧鸳鸯。
金满箱，银满箱，转眼乞丐人皆谤。
正叹他人命不长，那知自己归来丧！
训有方，保不定日后作强梁。
择膏粱，谁承望流落在烟花巷！
乱烘烘你方唱罢我登场，
反认他乡是故乡。
甚荒唐，到头来都是为他人作嫁衣裳！
An Exegesis of the Song of Rise and Fall — From The Mansion of Red Dream) by Cao Xue-qin (Qing Dynasty)
Chambers wretched, halls forlorn,
Where once ivory tablets lined — night till morn;
Withering weeds, dying trees,
Once a revelrous stage — with melodies to please.
Those once-carved beams — now cobwebs shroud and drape
Once shabby casements — now green muslins veil and shape.
As those beauties boast of rich rouge and sweet perfume,
How come, in a blink, their raven locks frost with gloom?
Last night, beneath dust, he laid the bones of the dead,
Tonight, franked by red lanterns, he lies in canopied nuptial bed,
Once gold and silver brimmed his rich coffers,
In a trice — a beggar, reviled by the scoffers.
He sighed just now for lives cut short in flight,
Not knowing his return would end in night.
Though high-born, well-bred, and well-taught,
His doted sons proved good for naught.
For cherished daughters, rich grooms were a must,
Never dreaming they’d be slaves to others’ lust.
He scorns his cap of humble rank,
Now ends in his cangue — stink and stank.
Yesterday, he moaned about shivering in rags,
Today, he complains his purple python robe drags.
A riotous world — a notorious ‘cage’,
All so agog, you step off, I take the stage,
In brainless cheer, we hail an alien realm ‘home’,
Fie! Through life, we all in vain roam.
How absurd — we seem to sew a bridal gown,
But in the end, not for ourselves... for some clown.
Tr. Ziyuzile
28/05/2025
(To be revised)
