唐詩英譯 （一）- 長幹行

德龍

前言

兒子修對比文學，教授讓讀三篇唐詩，附英文翻譯。他中文大字不識，拿著詩在我麵前顯擺。我看了幾句英文翻譯，實在別扭，再讀讀附言，居然前輩是從日文的譯本翻過來的！

我一怒，嘁哩喀喳，把三首詩翻一遍。

對錯，好壞，得空問問老李，老杜。

長幹行               The Song of Chang Gan
李白                   Li Bai

妾發初覆額，             The year my hair just grew pass my forehead,
折花門前劇。             I played with you picking flowers at our front.
郎騎竹馬來，             You rode on your bamboo horse,
繞床弄青梅。             We circled the backyard well, tossing green plums.
同居長幹裏，             In Chang Gan Li, we lived together,
兩小無嫌猜。             no second guess ever in us two little ones.
十四為君婦，             At fourteen, I became your wife,
羞顏未嚐開。             I was too shy to show my blush.
低頭向暗壁，             Lowering my eyes, I faced the dark wall,
千喚不一回。             refused to turn around after thousands of pleas.
十五始展眉，             At fifteen, I beamed with joy,
願同塵與灰。             promised to be with you till ashes to dust.
常存抱柱信，             With the belief that we are inseparable till the end,
豈上望夫台。             how did I end up on the Amah Rock?
十六君遠行，             At sixteen, you traveled far,
瞿塘灩澦堆。             to Yan Yu Rock in Qu Tang.
五月不可觸，             In May, water there covers up the Yan Yu Rock,
猿聲天上哀。             Baboons’ cries sorrow the sky.
門前遲行跡，             Your lingering footprints that left at the front,
一一生綠苔。             each was under the growing moss.
苔深不能掃，             Mosses were way too deep to be swept away,
落葉秋風早。             leaves falling, following the early autumn wind.
八月胡蝶來，             In August, butterflies arrived,
雙飛西園草。             fluttered into the west garden in pairs.
感此傷妾心，             My heart sickens in this sight,
坐愁紅顏老。             beauty and youth fade in my sitting sorrow.
早晚下三巴，             Whenever you come pass San Ba,
預將書報家。             please send me a letter home in advance.
相迎不道遠，             No matter how far away I have to travel to greet you,
直至長風沙。             even go all the way to Chang Feng Sha.

May: Lunar year calendar.  It could be in late June or early July.
Baboons cry for the people in those sinking ships.
August: Lunar year calendar.  It could be in late September or early October.