凤凰台上忆吹箫·香冷金猊

原作：李清照
英译：戈登.奥赛茵，闵晓红

香冷金猊，

被翻红浪，

起来慵自梳头。

任宝奁尘满，

日上帘钩。

生怕离怀别苦，

多少事、欲说还休。

新来瘦，

非干病酒，

不是悲秋。

休休，

这回去也，

千万遍《阳关》，

也则难留。

念武陵人远，

烟锁秦楼。

惟有楼前流水，

应念我、终日凝眸。

凝眸处，

从今又添，

一段新愁。

The incense in the golden lion is now cold

– to the tune of “Phoenix Tower on the Flute”

written by Li Qingzhao
translated by Gordon Osing & Julia Min

The incense in the golden lion is now cold.

Billowing red waves is my restless quilt.

Still how tiresome to rise and fix hair,

so, let the dresser disappear in dust there.

If the sun’s at the curtain hooks, who cares!

If only I were not afraid of your departure!

It gives me a pause to think of all I might say,

but I’m wasted in another blooming year.

It’s not because of much drinking yesterday;

It’s I know this Fall will never go away.

Alone from now on. Alone; the parting’s done.

Although we sang a thousand times

the farewell song of “Yangguan”,

you can’t stay. – What could I say?

Lost in smoke is the Phoenix Tower,

lost in the world the Wuling lover.

Only the departing stream before our chamber

knows me gazing into the distance every day.

This yearning grows deeper and stronger,

adding to the dreamy eyes just new despair.

—

Appreciation:

Retrieved from Google
Another Collection of Li Qing-zhao dates this ci in 1121. It is sometimes titled “Boudoir Thoughts”, or “Thoughts on Departure.” The husband is gone on prolonged career appointment by the emperor, and his lady pines for his company.

Notes:

1. “jin ni”: lion shaped brass burner. It was customary to mold incense burners in the shapes of mythical animals, and having the fragrant smoke come out of their mouths.

2.”yong guan”: a song traditionally sung on occasions of parting, on the way out from the village or town as the host saw the guests off, singing the refrain together until the distance took them.

3. “wu ling ren”: man in the Wuling story, lost in a paradise on earth while herding his flocks, and lost again when he came out into the world and could not find his paradise again.

4. “qin lou”: The Tower of the Phoenix, as it is sometimes called in folk tales. Here the perfect lovers, Lord Qin-mu’s daughter and Xiao Shi, lived until they were carried together into Heaven.

Pinying and Word -For-Word Translation:

fèng huáng tái shàng yì chuī xiāo ·xiāng lěng jīn ní

xiāng lěng jīn ní ，

bèi fān hóng làng ，

qǐ lái yōng zì shū tóu 。

rèn bǎo lián chén mǎn ，

rì shàng lián gōu 。

shēng pà lí huái bié kǔ ，

duō shǎo shì 、

yù shuō hái xiū 。

xīn lái shòu ，

fēi gàn bìng jiǔ ，

bú shì bēi qiū 。

xiū xiū ，

zhè huí qù yě ，

qiān wàn biàn 《yáng guān 》，

yě zé nán liú 。

niàn wǔ líng rén yuǎn ，

yān suǒ qín lóu 。

wéi yǒu lóu qián liú shuǐ ，

yīng niàn wǒ 、

zhōng rì níng móu 。

níng móu chù ，

cóng jīn yòu tiān ，

yī duàn xīn chóu 。