苏轼诗词选

许渊冲中文翻译英语第52首

Songof a Fair Lady

续丽人行并引

Isaw an excellent picture drawn by Zhou Fan of a yawning lady singer viewed fromthe back, and I wrote this poem in joke as a companion poem of Du Fu.

李仲谋家有周昉画背面欠伸内人，极精，戏作此诗。

In the lonely deep palace the springdays were long.
North of the Fragrance Pavilion flowers smelt sweet.
The lightly-dressed fair lady got up at the song 
Of orioles, her heart broke to see swallows fleet

深宫无人春日长 
沉香亭北百花香 
美人睡起薄梳洗 
燕舞莺啼空断肠

The painter tried to retain her infinitecharm
And paint'd her back when, awake, she stood in the east wind.
If she turned her head with a smile, she would disarm 
A besieging army, however disciplined.

画工欲画无穷意 
背立东风初破睡 
若教回首却嫣然 
阳城下蔡俱风靡

The hungry poet Du Fu with a longingeye,
In shabby hat and on lame ass, followed a horse.
Sometime across the flowery stream she passed by,
He saw but from the back her slender waist and torse.

杜陵饥客眼长寒 
蹇驴破帽随金鞍 
隔花临水时一见 
只许腰肢背后看

Fascinated, he came back to his thatchedcot，
And then believed on earth there was a lady fair.
Don’t you know man and wife were happy with their lot?
Why should she turn her back and weep with a lovesick air?

心醉归来茅屋底 
方信人间有西子。
君不见孟光举案与眉齐 
何曾背面伤春啼！