自娛自樂
譯寫春秋，譯路同行。
好了歌註 – （紅樓夢）曹雪芹
陋室空堂，當年笏滿床；
衰草枯楊，曾為歌舞場。
蛛絲兒結滿雕梁，綠紗今又糊在蓬窗上。
說什麽脂正濃，粉正香，如何兩鬢又成霜？
昨日黃土隴頭送白骨，今宵紅燈帳底臥鴛鴦。
金滿箱，銀滿箱，轉眼乞丐人皆謗。
正歎他人命不長，那知自己歸來喪！
訓有方，保不定日後作強梁。
擇膏粱，誰承望流落在煙花巷！
亂烘烘你方唱罷我登場，
反認他鄉是故鄉。
甚荒唐，到頭來都是為他人作嫁衣裳！
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)
