Long main Aria （Chongone Shin）

         Lee Bye – Tang dynasty

  

While bang hair still just covers my forehead

I played about in front gate, pulling flowers.

You came by on bamboo stilt as playing horse,

and titillated blue plums over the parterre.

Went on living in the same lane “Chongone”,

Two little kids played together without dislike or suspicion.

 

When fourteen I married you My Lord.

Being bashful then I never had laughter,

Lowering my forehead, I faced at shadow walls.

Called to, a thousand times,

I never looked back for the calls.

Fifteen I stopped scowling, desired me and you

be like dust mingled with ash, forever.

And forever you “Holding Pillar to Die”

And forever no need to mount the

“Look Forward for My Man, Homing”

 

But sixteen, you traveled, we departed.

Oh, Qutang Gorge! Yanyu Reefs!

The most danger of the River with swirling eddies.

Days in May, there’s no touch,

Apes wailing sorrows the gorge.

You dragged your feet at the gate, where now,

the moss is grown, foot by foot;

Too grown to clear, get them away, my dear!

Leaves fall ‘cause of autumn wind too early.

Days in August, in West-garden, butterflies paired

In pairs, yellow wings colorful the grass.

That hurt me so much, I became older ‘cause of lonely in anxious.

Whenever you are coming back,

down through the three Bar counties,

Please letter home beforehand!

Your wife I don’t care the way far or not,

will walk and walk to meet you there,

as far as to Chong-fung-Sa county.

 

 

《长干行》

唐 李白

 

妾发初覆额，折花门前剧。

郎骑竹马来，绕床弄青梅。

同居长干里，两小无嫌猜。

十四为君妇，羞颜未尝开。

低头向暗壁，千唤不一回。

十五始展眉，愿同尘与灰。

常存抱柱信，岂上望夫台。

十六君远行，瞿塘滟预堆。

五月不可触，猿声天上哀。

门前迟行迹，一一生绿苔。

苔深不能扫，落叶秋风早。

八月蝴蝶黄，双飞西园草。

感此伤妾心，坐愁红颜老。

早晚下三巴，预将书报家。

相迎不道远，直至长风沙。

 Ezra Pound的译文

       Ezra Pound (1885-1972)

 

The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter

 

While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead

I played about the front gate, pulling flowers.

You came by on bamboo stilts, playing horse,

You walked about my seat, playing with blue plum.

And we went on living in the village of Chokan:

Two small people, without dislike or suspicion.

 

At fourteen I married My Lord you.

I never laughted, being bashful.

Lowering my head, I looked at the wall.

Called to, a thousand times, I never looked back.

 

At fifteen I stopped scowling, I desired my dust to be mingled with yours

Forever and forever and forever.

Why should I climb the look out?

 

At sixteen you departed.

You went into far Ku-to-ye, by the river of swirling eddies,

and you have been gone five months.

The monkeys make sorrowful noise overhead.

 

You dragged your feet when you went out.

By the gate now, the moss is grown, the different mosses,

Too deep to clear them away!

The leaves fall early this autumn, in wind.

The paired butterflies are already yellow with August

Over the grass in the West garden;

They hurt me. I grow older.

If you coming down through the narrows of the river Kiang,

Please let me know beforehand,

and I will come out to meet you

as far as Cho-fu-Sa.