Pu Sa Lang
by Poet Wei Zhuang (Tang Poet 836-910)
Translated Laijon Liu 20110530
1/5
In the red chamber, our parting night, sadness
Incense candlelight, half rolled curtains hanging
The crescent moon above the gate
And in tear we bid farewell
Gold emerald feather tied on your pipa
And its four strings sang like oriole
It urged me to come home
It begged me to return soon
Coz the one behind the green gauze glows like a bloom
2/5
Everyone says the River South is nice
Visitor should settle there and get old
The spring river there blue like sky
In a painted boat, hear the raindrops while doze
The women in the bar like moon
Their fair arms shine as frosty snow
Oh young visitor, don’t leave for home
If you leave, you will regret on the road.
3/5
But now I miss the good old days in the River South
That time I was young, and in spring I wore a thin shirt
Riding on my horse, waiting by the leaning bridge
On those chambers, red sleeves were all waving at me
Behind the golden door rings and the lime blinds
I fell drunk in the blossom bush
If I see the blooming twigs again
I swear by my gray hair, I won’t go back home.
4/5
Let’s toast for tonight, let’s get drunk now
Raise our cup and worry not tomorrow
Treasure the good will of our host
The wine is thick like love and friendship
Only be anxious that our spring is short
And don’t complain our gold cups are all full
When we’ve got wine, we drink, ha ha
Oh life, how uncertain it is!
5/5
Spring is always beautiful in Luoyang
But the talent of Luoyang grow old in this foreign town
There the willow must cover the King Wei riverbank
And now I feel I’ve been long lost
Here the peach-blossom by the green ripple again
The Mandarin ducks bath in pairs
And I’m grieving, watching the setting sun
Oh I miss you, but you do not know.
Note:
five sequence Ci poems that Tang Poet Wei Zhuang wrote about his life and political career maybe really about his love life? maybe not, it's possible the poet only used love content in all five poems as metaphor for his love and grief toward the old empire that he could no longer serve, Tang, but truly touching, very real, like lost love songs.
Chinese:
韦庄《菩萨蛮》
唐 836-910
1/5
红楼别夜堪惆怅，
香灯半卷流苏帐。
残月出门时，
美人和泪辞。
琵琶金翠羽，
弦上黄莺语。
劝我早归家，
绿窗人似花。
2/5
人人尽说江南好，
游人只合江南老。
春水碧于天，
画船听雨眠。
垆边人似月，
皓腕凝霜雪。
未老莫还乡，
还乡须断肠。
3/5
如今却忆江南乐，
当时年少春衫薄。
骑马倚斜桥，
满楼红袖招。
翠屏金屈曲，
醉入花丛宿。
此度见花枝，
白头誓不归。
4/5
劝君今夜须沉醉，
樽前莫话明日事。
珍重主人心，
酒深情亦深。
须愁春漏短，
莫诉金杯满。
遇酒且呵呵，
人生能几何。
5/5
洛阳城里春光好，
洛阳才子他乡老。
柳暗魏王堤，
此时心转迷。
桃花春水绿，
水上鸳鸯浴。
凝恨对残晖，
忆君君不知。
