• 孔雀东南飞，五里一徘徊。

  • A pair of peacocks southeast fly;

    At each mile they look back and cry.

    “十三能织素，十四学裁衣。

    十五弹箜篌，十六诵诗书。

    十七为君妇，心中常苦悲。

    “I could weave,” said Lan-zhi, “at thirteen

    And learned to cut clothes at fourteen;

    At fifteen to play music light;

    At sixteen to read and to write.

    At seventeen to you I was wed.

    What an austere life I have led!

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    君既为府吏，守节情不移。

    贱妾留空房，相见常日稀。

    鸡鸣入机织，夜夜不得息。

    三日断五匹，大人故嫌迟。

    You’re an official far away;

    I toil as housewife night and day.

    At daybreak I begin to weave;

    At night the loom I dare not leave.

    I’ve finished five rolls in three days,

    Yet I am blamed for my delays.

  • 非为织作迟，君家妇难为！

    妾不堪驱使，徒留无所施。

    便可白公姥，及时相遣归。"

    Not that my work is done too slow,

    But hard your housewife’s role does grow.

    If Mother thinks I am no good,

    What use to stay, although I would?

    Will you come and to Mother say,

    Send me back home without delay?”

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  • 府吏得闻之，堂上启阿母：

    “儿已薄禄相，幸复得此妇。

    结发同枕席，黄泉共为友。

    共事二三年，始尔未为久。

    女行无偏斜，何意致不厚。”

    Jiao Zhong-qing came home at her call

    And said to his mother in the hall,

    “I’m destined for a humble life;

    By fortune I have this good wife.

    We’ve shared the pillow, mat and bed,

    And we’ll be man and wife till dead.

    We’ve lived together but three years,

    Which not too long to me appears.

    She has done nothing wrong, I find.

    Why should you be to her unkind?”

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  • 阿母谓府吏：“何乃太区区！

    此妇无礼节，举动自专由。

    吾意久怀忿，汝岂得自由！

    东家有贤女，自名秦罗敷。

    可怜体无比，阿母为汝求。

    便可速遣之，遣去慎莫留！”

    His mother said then in reply,

    “You are indeed shortsighted. Why,

    This wife of yours with me goes ill;

    She always does whate’er she will.

    I’ve been offended by her for long.

    How dare you say she’s done no wrong?

    In the east there’s a match for you,

    A maiden whose name’s Qin Luo-fu,

    A peerless beauty of this land.

    I’ll go for you to ask her hand.

    Now send your slut out of our door!

    She should not stay here anymore.”

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  • 府吏长跪告：“伏惟启阿母。

  • 今若遣此妇，终老不复取！”

    Zhong-qing knelt down with trunk erect

    And said to her with due respect,

    “If you should send away my wife,

    I won’t remarry all my life.”

    阿母得闻之，槌床便大怒：

    “小子无所畏，何敢助妇语！

    吾已失恩义，会不相从许！”

    The mother was angry at his word;

    Her strumming on the stool was heard.

    “Has filial reverence come to nil?

    Defend your wife against my will!

    You are such an ungrateful son!

    Of your request I will grant none.”

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 府吏默无声，再拜还入户。

    举言谓新妇，哽咽不能语：

    “我自不驱卿，逼迫有阿母。

    卿但暂还家，吾今且报府。

    不久当归还，还必相迎取。

    以此下心意，慎勿违吾语。”

    Zhong-qing dared not speak anymore,

    But bowed and entered his own door.

    He tells his wife when she appears,

    His voice choked so with bitter tears,

    “Not that I would send you away,

    But Mother won’t allow you to stay.

    Return to your brother’s house, so

    That to my office I may go.

    When I have finished my work, then

    I’ll come and fetch you home again.

    Do not be grieved to say adieu,

    But keep in mind what I’’ve told you!

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 新妇谓府吏：“勿复重纷纭。

    往昔初阳岁，谢家来贵门。

    奉事循公姥，进止敢自专？

    昼夜勤作息，伶俜萦苦辛。

    谓言无罪过，供养卒大恩；

    仍更被驱遣，何言复来还！

    “Nay, make no care to come for me!”

    To her husband addresses she.

    “One early spring day, I recall,

    I left home for your entrance hall.

    I’ve done what Mother ordered me.

    Dare I be careless and carefree?

    I do hard labour day and night;

    Alone I toil with all my might.

    I think I have done nothing wrong,

    Still with Mother I can’t get along.

    To what avail to talk about

    Returning now I’m driven out!

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  • 妾有绣腰襦，葳蕤自生光；

    红罗复斗帐，四角垂香囊；

    箱帘六七十，绿碧青丝绳，

    物物各自异，种种在其中。

    人贱物亦鄙，不足迎后人，

    留待作遗施，于今无会因。

    时时为安慰，久久莫相忘！”

    “I’ll leave my jacket of brocade,

    Whose lacings bright of gold are made,

    And my canopy of gauze red,

    Whose four corners with perfume spread,

    And sixty trunks and coffers tied

    With silken threads all in green dyed,

    Where different things you will find;

    Not two of them are of a kind.

    They are as cheap as I, it’s true,

    Not good enough for your spouse new.

    So as gifts you may share them out,

    As we can’t meet again, no doubt.

    Keep them in memory of me!

    Forgetful we can never be.”

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  • 鸡鸣外欲曙，新妇起严妆。

    著我绣夹裙，事事四五通。

    足下蹑丝履，头上玳瑁光。

    腰若流纨素，耳著明月珰。

    指如削葱根，口如含朱丹。

    纤纤作细步，精妙世无双。

    At dawn she roses at the cockcrow

    And made up with care, ready to go.

    She put on an embroidered gown

    And checked it over, up and down.

    She put on shoes made of brocade,

    Of tortoise shell her hairpin’s made.

    Her waist was girt with girdle white,

    Her earrings shone like moonlight bright.

    She had tapering finger tips,

    Like rubies were her rouged lips.

    She moved at slow and easy pace,

    Unrivaled in the human race.

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 上堂拜阿母，阿母怒不止。

    “昔作女儿时，生小出野里。

    本自无教训，兼愧贵家子。

    受母钱帛多，不堪母驱使。

    今日还家去，念母劳家里。”

    She came to his mother in the hall,

    Who said no tender words at all.

    “While young, before I was a spouse,

    I lived but in a country house.

    Not well instructed or wide read,

    For noble heir I was ill-bred.

    Though kindly you have treated me,

    Yet I’m not dutiful,” said she,

    “So I must go back in despair,

    Leaving to you all household care.”

    却与小姑别，泪落连珠子。

    “新妇初来时，小姑始扶床；

    今日被驱遣，小姑如我长。

    勤心养公姥，好自相扶将。

    初七及下九，嬉戏莫相忘。

    ”出门登车去，涕落百余行。

    She said to his sister good-bye;

    Bitter tears trickled from her eye.

    “When your brother and I were wed,

    You came around our nuptial bed.

    You are as tall as I today,

    When I am to be driven away.

    Take good care of your mother old,

    And take good care of your household!

    When maidens hold their festive day,

    Do not forget me while you play.”

    She went out and got on the cart;

    Tears streamed down, heavy was her heart.

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 府吏马在前，新妇车在后。

    隐隐何甸甸，俱会大道口。

    下马入车中，低头共耳语：

    “誓不相隔卿，且暂还家去。

    吾今且赴府，不久当还归。

    誓天不相负！”

    Jiao Zhong-qing rides before, his mind

    Turning to his wife’s cart behind.

    The cart’s rumble’s heard to repeat,

    The husband stops where four roads meet.

    He gets down from his horse, comes near

    His wife and whispers in her ear,

    “I swear not to leave you long, my spouse.

    Return now to your brother’s house.

    When I have finished my work, then

    I’ll come and fetch you home again.

    I swear to heaven high above.”

    新妇谓府吏：“感君区区怀！

    君既若见录，不久望君来。

    君当作磐石，妾当作蒲苇。

    蒲苇纫如丝，磐石无转移。

    我有亲父兄，性行暴如雷，

    恐不任我意，逆以煎我怀。”

    举手长劳劳，二情同依依。

    Lan-zhi says to her husband dear,

    “I’m touched by your love sincere.

    If I’m engraved deep in your mind,

    Come then in time and not behind!

    If as the rock your love is strong,

    Then mine as creeping vine is long.

    The vine’s resistant as silk thread;

    No one could lift a rock o’erhead.

    But my brother’s temper is hot,

    Look on me kindly he will not.

    I am afraid he’ll never care

    What I like, and it’s hard to bear.”

    They wave their hands with broken heart,

    From each other they will not part.

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  • 入门上家堂，进退无颜仪。

    阿母大拊掌，不图子自归：

    “十三教汝织，十四能裁衣，

    十五弹箜篌，十六知礼仪，

    十七遣汝嫁，谓言无誓违。

    汝今何罪过，不迎而自归？”

    兰芝惭阿母：“儿实无罪过。”

    阿母大悲摧。

    Lan-zhi came to her mother’s place,

    Feeling embarrassed in disgrace.

    Her mother clapped loud in surprise:

    “How can you come back in this guise!

    You were taught to weave at thirteen;

    To cut the clothes at fourteen;

    At fifteen to play music light;

    At sixteen to perform the rite.

    At seventeen you were a bride;

    By your husband you should abide.

    Had you done nothing wrong at all,

    Why come back alone to my hall?”

    Lan-zhi told her mother the truth,

    Who was moved to tears, full of ruth.

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 还家十余日，县令遣媒来。

    云有第三郎，窈窕世无双。

    年始十八九，便言多令才。

    She had been back many a day,

    A go-between then came to say,

    “Our magistrate has a third son,

    Whose good looks are second to none.

    Though at eighteen or nineteen years,

    For eloquence he has no peers.”

    阿母谓阿女：“汝可去应之。”

    Her mother said to her, “consent

    To this proposal benevolent!”

    阿女含泪答：“兰芝初还时，

    府吏见丁宁，结誓不别离。

    今日违情义，恐此事非奇。

    自可断来信，徐徐更谓之。”

    But she only answered in tears,

    “Can I forget my married years?

    My husband vowed when we parted then,

    Never should we sever again.

    If I should break my word today,

    I would regret for e’er and aye.

    Will you please tell the go-between

    Gently and clearly what I mean?”

  • ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • 阿母白媒人：“贫贱有此女，始适还家门。

    不堪吏人妇，岂合令郎君？

    幸可广问讯，不得便相许。”

    Her mother told the messenger,

    “This humble daughter of mine, sir,

    Sent back by an official of late,

    Can’t match son of magistrate.

    Why not inquire another house

    Where may be found a better spouse?”