花間書齋
成功之門原來虛掩著
《紅樓夢》萬言詩
A Dream in Red Mansions
(Poetry)
宋德利 著譯
按：我把四大名著改寫成四本詩稿，因為篇幅很長，故而取名《四大名著萬言詩》，各章有章回體標題。5月份將在香港出版。我現在又已經翻譯成英語，談不上詩歌體，隻是英文解釋罷了，請朋友理解。將來還可以在中國內地出版漢語版或雙語版。同樣是為留下紀念，現在把《紅樓夢》第一章發在這裏，和城裏朋友分享。
第一回
甄士隱夢識靈通玉
賈雨村暗結連理情
Chapter 1
Zhen Shiyin saw Lingtong Jade in dream
Jia Yucun secretly fell in love with a girl
繁華姑蘇城，有一仁清巷，
古刹葫蘆廟，坐落巷中央。
There was a Renqing Lane in the bustling Gusu City.
An ancient Hulu Temple was standing in its center.
廟旁有人家，主人甄士隱，
嬌妻封氏賢，全家享溫馨。
Beside the temple existed a family whose master was Zhen Shiyin.
His wife Feng was virtuous and the whole family lived a happy life.
膝下三歲女，取名喚英蓮，
家境尚殷實，日子蠻安恬。
He had a three year old girl named Ying Lian.
It could be said that the family was well to do.
且說某夏日，士隱在書房，
倦極臥書案，悠然入夢鄉。
Shiyin was reading in his study in a summer day.
He was tired and fell asleep at the writing desk.
路上遇和尚，道人在一旁，
道人若有思，悠然問和尚：
He met a monk on the way with a Taoist beside him.
The Taoist seemed to think and then asked the Monk:
見君帶蠢物，意欲到何處？
和尚未思索，脫口便說出：
I saw you bring a stupid thing, where are you going?
Without thinking too much the monk blurted out:
癡男與怨女，爭先且恐後，
欲到人間去，枉結一段愁。
Young men and women in love are unable to fulfill their passion.
They vied with each other going to man’s world to get married.
隻是圖新鮮，經曆紅塵事，
不如讓石頭，同去長見識。
They will experience things in the man’s world only for pleasure.
It’s better to let the stone go with them so as to gain knowledge.
道士不滿足，一問接一問：
近日有孽緣，曆劫下凡塵？
The Taoist was not satisfied and asked questions constantly:
You have an evil chance to undergo disaster in man’s world?
和尚笑開口：此事真稀罕，
西方靈河岸，三生石頭畔。
The monk laughed and said: It’s really interesting and unique.
Near Sansheng Stone on the bank of the western Linghe River,
一棵絳珠草，經曆雨和風，
還有通靈石，隱藏青埂峰。
There’s Jiangzhu grass that has undergone storms.
And Tongling Stone hid itself in the Qinggeng Peak.
靈石當侍者，大名喚神瑛，
澆灌絳珠草，日夜付深情。
A magic stone is to be a servant girl named Shen Ying.
She waters Jiangzhu grass affectionately day and night.
最終絳珠草，修行成仙女，
欲報澆灌恩，暗將心願許。
Through self-cultivation Jiangzhu grass became a fairy maiden at last.
She wants to repay the watering grace to Shen Ying and made a vow.
警幻仙子來，輕問絳珠草，
是否願下凡，去把恩相報。
Fairy maiden Ying Huan came here to ask Jiangzhu grass:
Are you willing to go to the man’s world to requite favors?
絳珠仙子道：靈石澆甘霖，
縱然無神水，拳拳報恩心。
Fairy maiden Jiangzhu said: the magic stone watered me.
Even if the water is not magic water she is till quite kind.
如今此靈石，曆劫去下凡，
隻願隨之去，一生淚償還。
Today she undergoes a disaster and goes to the man’s world.
I’m willing to go with her to repay favors with tears in my life.
此事真稀奇，衍生故事多，
聞聽此言後，和尚繼續說。
This matter is really curious with many stories coming out.
After hearing all these stories the monk said continuously.
世間皆說愛，實把禁果嚐，
暗約為私奔，不過夢一場。
People talk about love but in fact they’re eating forbidden fruit.
They date each other secretly and elope yet this is only a dream.
這群癡男女，下凡訴情衷，
想必是真愛，並非一場空。
These infatuated young ones pour out love in the man’s world.
Maybe this is a true love but not sweet words coming to naught.
和尚邀道士，下凡跑一遭，
是否有真愛，看過才知道。
The monk invited the Taoist to make a tour of the man’s world.
On after seeing can one know whether a real love exists or not.
道士心花放，欣然說可行，
願隨和尚去，欲把事查明。
The Taoist was extremely delighted and happily said he could go.
He was willing to go with the monk to make a clear observation.
蠢物何所指，士隱搞不清，
連忙問僧道，二人笑盈盈。
Shiyin did not know what the real meaning of the stupid thing was.
He kept asking the monk constantly and the two ones were smiling.
不言為何物，瞧瞧倒可以，
士隱接過看，原來是美玉。
The monk said nothing about the stone but let him to have a look.
Shiyin took it over and had a look and found that it was a nice jade.
玉上刻四字，分明含意趣，
前邊雕通靈，後邊刻寶玉。
Four characters were carved in the jade with interest and charm.
Lingtong were carved in front side and Baoyu were in back side.
背麵亦有字，太小看不清，
再想仔細看，和尚不答應。
There were still more characters but they were too small to tell.
Shiyin wanted to look carefully but the monk did not allow him.
言說不得了，警幻仙子到，
傳來巨響聲，士隱魂嚇跑。
The monk said it was terrible because Fairy maiden Jinghuan came.
A great sound could be heard clearly and Shiyin was scared to death.
美夢被驚碎，還在家裏麵，
烈日正炎炎，芭蕉已枯蔫。
The sweet dream was fully broken he found he was still at home.
The burning sun was shining and the banaca leaves got withered.
奶媽抱英蓮，來到他身旁，
士隱接過去，抱她外麵逛。
The wet nurse came over to him with Ying Lian in her arms.
Taking over Ying Lian Shiyin carried her and walked outside.
門口遇怪事，一僧一道士，
蓬頭且垢麵，瘋癲言語癡。
Meeting odd things at the door he saw a monk and a Taoist.
With disheveled hair and dirty faces they talked mad things.
和尚見英蓮，邊哭邊鬧嚷，
說她命不濟，早晚害爹娘。
The monk saw Ying Lian and then madly cried and yelled immediately.
He said she was out of luck and would hurt her parents sooner or later.
還說英蓮小，不如交給他，
士隱覺奇怪，急忙返回家。
He said Ying Lian was too young and it was better to let him have her.
Shinyin felt strange and hurriedly went back home without hesitation.
和尚追著笑，口中念有詞：
需防元宵後，煙消火滅時。
The monk laughed and chased him muttering incantations：
Be vigilant when fireworks finished after Lantern Festival.
士隱聽此言，備感不吉利，
正要走出門，欲問何如此。
On hearing these Shiyin felt it was quite an ominous omen.
He was going to walk out and ask the reason of this matter.
誰料那道士，卻對和尚說：
咱倆暫分手，無須管太多。
But the Taoist said to the monk quite unexpectedly:
We can temporarily part without thinking too much.
各幹各的事，不必太著急，
事情辦妥當，我到邙山裏。
We’d better do our own things with no need to be in a hurry.
After things are well done I’ll go into Moungshan Mountain.
等你找到我，咱倆一起去，
太虛幻境裏，遊覽樂無比。
After you find me we can go together.
We make a tour in the Taoxuhuanjing.
話音才剛落，二人去無跡，
士隱憶夢事，空歎悔不及。
The two ones vanished at once after saying that.
Recalling the dream Shiyin cried over split milk.
誰知此二人，本是兩大仙，
如今無覓處，心緒好煩亂。
Who could expect that they were two immortals!
He was very upset because he couldn’t find them.
忽然見一人，走出隔壁門，
原是寄居客，名叫賈雨村。
All of a sudden he saw a man going out of the neighbor.
He turned out to be a lodger with the name of Jia Yucun.
雨村一書生，家境早敗落，
獨身來此地，孤單又寂寞。
Yucun was a scholar in a family declined in wealth and position.
He came here alone and then led a penniless and desolate life.
盤纏已耗盡，廟中暫棲身，
賣字做文章，糊口倍艱辛。
Running out of travelling expenses he lived in the temple.
He made a living by selling calligraphy and writing articles.
雨村見士隱，施禮且詢問：
先生依門望，莫非有新聞？
Seeing Shiyin, Yucun stepped over greeting and asking:
You’re leaning on door with any news for me to learn?
士隱陪笑臉，忙說無新聞，
隻因女兒鬧，抱她去散心。
With a smiling face Shiyin said that he had no news at all.
He walked out with his daughter only to relieve boredom.
無聊又寂寞，且把雨村邀，
書房坐片刻，兩人隨意聊。
Boring and lonely he couldn’t but invite Yucun.
He asked Yucun to sit in his study for a chatting.
忽報有來客，士隱暫離身，
雨村耐心等，翻書解煩悶。
A visitor was reported to come and Shiyin left temporarily.
When patiently waiting Yucun read books to kill boredom.
正在讀書間，姑娘現窗外，
花容兼月貌，摘花頭上戴。
While reading books he found a little girl outside the window.
With a pretty face she picked and inserted a flower in her hair.
姑娘是何人，甄家一丫鬟，
摘花欲離開，忽朝窗中看。
Who was the girl? She turned out to be a servant girl of Zhen family.
Picking flowers, she wanted to leave but looked at into the window.
瞥見這書生，並非凡人樣，
衣衫雖破舊，器宇卻軒昂。
She caught sight of a scholar whose looks were rather uncommon.
With shabby old clothes yet he had a dignified appearance anyway.
姑娘回頭望，卻又想回避，
雨村心狂喜，以為她有意。
The girl looked back and wanted to avoid meeting him.
Yucun delightedly thought she had a mind to love him.
再看甄士隱，陪客忙不暇，
幹等真乏味，後門溜回家。
He looked at Zhen Shiyin who was still busy accompanying the visitor.
Waiting for too long a time he felt boring and so sneaked back home.
正值中秋夜，士隱進廟門，
來約賈雨村，小酌解煩悶。
Just in the night of mid-autumn festival Shiyin entered the temple.
He came to invite Yucun to drink some wine and relieve boredom.
酒酣耳熱時，雨村歎潦倒，
無錢進京去，如何能趕考。
In a state of drunken ecstasy Yucun exclaimed over the dog's life he led.
He had no money to go to the capital to take the imperial examinations.
士隱聞此言，頓時發善心，
當即命書童，取來救濟銀。
On hearing it Shiyin had mercy immediately upon Yucun.
He asked the servant boy to take over some relief silver.
總共五十兩，外加禦寒衣，
雨村感千恩，夜半才告離。
The silver summed up to fifty liang with cold protective clothing.
Yuncun felt deeply grateful and left for home already at midnight.
光陰逝如水，倏忽到元宵，
甄家命家丁，來把英蓮抱。
Time passed like flowing water and Lantern Festival came again.
The Zhen Family ordered a family retainer to carry Ying Lian out.
出門看煙火，四處賞花燈，
流光溢彩景，心花怒放情。
They came out to enjoy the sight of fireworks and festive lanterns.
Seeing the nice scene of flowing light and color they were happy.
夜半時分過，家丁上茅廁，
時隔僅片刻，歸來惹大禍。
It was over mid-night the family retainer went to the toilet.
When he was back a few minutes later a disaster fell down.
英蓮無蹤影，不知何處去，
士隱夫婦急，四處苦尋覓。
Little Ying Lian vanished no one knew her whereabouts.
Shiyin and his wife fretfully looked for her everywhere.
千般尋無果，英蓮無蹤影，
思女心悲切，臥床染重病。
Shiyin did his utmost to look for Ying Lian yet without seeing her at all.
He missed his daughter so deeply that he got sick and fully bedridden.
俗語說得好，災禍不單行，
三月十五日，隔壁大火明。
As the saying goes misfortunes never come singly.
His neighbor caught fire on the fifteenth of March.
廟宇化灰燼，甄家亦燒空，
投奔嶽父家，夫婦悲愁濃。
The temple turned to dust and ashes and so did Zhen Family.
Shiyin and his wife sadly went to his father-in-law for shelter.
士隱乃書生，哪裏會經營？
嶽父名封肅，哄騙兼欺淩。
As a scholar how could Shiyin be qualified for management?
His father-in-law Feng Su was good at cheating and bullying.
加之思女痛，士隱太淒慘，
捉襟即見肘，生計好艱難。
Deeply missing his daughter Shiyin was too miserable.
He led a hard life with too many problems to deal with.
隻緣遇惡人，悔恨常空歎，
久鬱成重疾，落魄不堪言。
Meeting bad eggs he deeply regreted and always heaved sighs.
Depression made him seriously sick and to suffer unspeakably.
士隱拄拐杖，散心在街頭，
偶然抬頭見，道人跛足走。
With the help of a walking stick Shiyin strolled in the street.
Occasionally raising his head Shiyin found a laming Taoist.
身穿破爛裝，瘋癲且肮髒，
口中有說詞，語調好淒涼：
Wearing humble clothes, the Taoist was dirty and crazy.
He was muttering incantations in a sorrowful melody：
世人都曉神仙好，惟有功名忘不了。
古今將相在何方？荒塚一堆草沒了。
All know immortal is good an’ only feats-fame are unforgettable.
Where are generals an’ ministers? Tombs’re overgrown by grass.
世人都曉神仙好，隻有金銀忘不了。
終朝隻恨聚無多，及到多時眼閉了。
All know immortal is good an’ only gold an’ silver are unforgettable.
Gathering is too little but eyes’ll close when having much gathering.
世人都曉神仙好，隻有嬌妻忘不了。
君生日日說恩情，君死又隨人去了。
All know immortal is good but only the pretty wife is unforgettable.
Say grace everyday when he’s alive but go with others on his death.
世人都說神仙好，隻有兒孫忘不了。
癡心父母古來多，孝順兒孫誰見了？
All know immortal is good and only descendants are unforgettable.
There’re too many infatuated parents yet with too few dutiful sons.
士隱聽後問：不知你說啥，
隻聽你滿口，好字一大把。
On hearing it Shiyin asked: What did you say?
Just now I only heard you say so many “good”.
道人不慌張，隨意答分明：
好了兩個字，聽到算你能。
The Taoist answered him very clearly in no hurry.
It’s good for you to have heard the word of good.
世間有萬物，物物應明了，
好字便是了，了字便是好。
You must know that countless things exist in the world.
The word of good means finish and finish means good.
如若不是了，那就不是好，
如若要個好，那就需個了。
If it’s not to finish and that won’t be good.
If you want a good and a finish is needed.
道士有名堂，說是好了歌，
士隱聞聽後，大悟且大徹。
The Taoist isn’t so simple he said that’s a song of good.
On hearing this Shiyin realized a large church at once.
跟隨道人走，飄然去遠方，
嬌妻聞訊後，悲傷哭斷腸。
Floating in the air he followed the Taoist going far away.
On learning this news his wife wailed with great sorrow.
丫鬟小嬌杏，門外買線針，
趕上縣太爺，雨村新上任。
The young servant girl Jiao Xing walked out to buy needles and thread.
She saw the new county magistrate Yucun come to take his new office.
雨村不忘恩，款待封家人，
四匹錦繡緞，兩封雪花銀。
Yucun did not forget grace and entertained the people of Feng Family.
He gave them four pieces of exquisite silk satin with two packs of silver.
士隱老嶽丈，收到信一封，
雨村要嬌杏，做妾伴終生。
The father-in-law of Shiyin received a letter.
Yucun wanted Jiao Xing to be his concubine.
嬌杏是何人，當年小丫鬟，
曾經采花事，依然記心間。
Who was this Little Jiao Xing? She was the then servant girl.
He didn’t forget she once picked flower outside the window.
雨村別士隱，趕考中進士，
如今任知府，赫赫有權勢。
Yucun parted with Shiyin years ago to take the imperial examination.
Chosen as Jinshi he was the new county head with power in hand.
士隱今不在，英蓮亦失蹤，
聲聲歎息長，心情千斤重。
But Shiyin was not here and Ying Lian disappeared.
Heaving a sigh he was laden with great anxiety now.
豈料賈雨村，空是有才人，
貪汙且濫權，毫不得人心。
Unexpectedly Jiao Yucun had all his goods in the window.
He couldn’t enjoy popular support because of corruption.
任期未一年，無奈遭革職，
獨自暗愧怍，表麵無痕跡。
His term of office was less than a year and was dismissed.
It seemed that he had nothing wrong but he felt ashamed.
公事暗中交，財產送原籍，
擔風且袖月，遠遊銷聲跡。
He left his post and sent the property to his native place.
He had a travel faraway and disappeared from the scene.
第二回
冷子興大談賈家事
林黛玉初入榮國府
