春宮曲 王昌齡

春宮曲    王昌齡 (698-756)

昨夜風開露井桃，未央前殿月輪高。

平陽歌舞新承寵，帘外春寒賜錦袍。

A Spring Serenade in the Palace        Wang Changling (698-756)

Last night the vernal zephyr urged the peach blossoms beside the Dews Well to blow,

The bright moon over the front hall of the Interminable Palace effulgently dangled,

At Princess Ping Yang’s house the singing and dancing diva won the favour of His Lord Imperial,

She was bestowed with a brocade robe amidst the spring chills outside the portieres.

塞下曲(其二) 王昌齡

塞下曲(其二)  王昌齡(698-756)
蟬鳴空桑林，八月蕭關道。
出塞復入塞，處處黃蘆草。
從來幽并客，皆向沙場老。
莫學游俠兒，矜誇紫騮好。

 

The Desolate Borders (Poem No.2)    Wang Changling(698-756)

Cicadas chir amidst the divested mulberry wealds,

In the eighth month along the Xiao Pass trail,

Without and within the borders wheresoever one goes,

All reeds have already turned yellow,

Warriors on expeditions to the prefectures of You and Bing from of old,

Wizened with the dust there all their lives till they turned decrepit and senile,

Don’t mimick the chivalrous braggadocio,

Keep inanely bragging how invincible is his legendary steed the Purple.

 

塞下曲(其一) 王昌齡

塞下曲(其一)   王昌齡(698-756)
飲馬渡秋水，水寒風似刀。
平沙日未沒，黯黯見臨洮。
昔日長城戰，咸言意氣高。
黃塵足今古，白骨亂蓬蒿。
 
The Desolate Borders (Poem No.1)        Wang Changling(698-756)

To drink my horse I wade the autumnal shoals,

Cutting like a knife scathes the chilly autumnal gale,

Over the level desert the sun still stalls,

Gloomily gloomily the city of Lintao stands amidst mists brumal,

Recalling the past Great Wall battles,

The warriors were hailed as greatly mettled,

Their valours under the yellow dust pass down the ages since of old,

Their white bones are still scattered amid the messy weeds and brambles.

同從弟南齋玩月憶山陰崔少府 王昌齡

同從弟南齋玩月憶山陰崔少府        王昌齡(698-756)

高臥南齋時，開帷月初吐。

清輝淡水木，演漾在窗戶。

苒苒幾盈虛，澄澄變今古。

美人清江畔，是夜越吟苦。

千里其如何，微風吹蘭杜。

Thinking of Assistant Prefect Cui of Shanyin While
Contemplating the Moon at the South Study
with My Second Cousin            Wang Changling (698-756)

At the south study I insouciantly laze,
The early moon shines through the open portiere,
On the woods and waters it sheds its clear soft mellow rays,
Through the casement the flooding light makes its way,
From of old the moon incessantly keeps its wax and wane,
How many dynasties have under its mellowy mellow light risen and faded?
A gentleman with merits now by the Qing River stays,
He must be going through the throes of concocting a lay,
What a shame we are thousands of miles away,
I could only hope the zephyr will send you the whiffs of orchid and azalea all the way.

答武陵田太守 王昌齡

答武陵田太守      王昌齡 (698-756)

仗劍行千里，微軀敢一言。    

曾為大梁客，不負信陵恩。    

My gratitude to Governor Tian of Wuling          

Wang Changling (698-756)

Travelling a thousand miles with my sword I’ve come to this place,

As your humble guest, it’s impudent of me to leave without expressing my gratitude to all your favours,
Having been treated as an honoured guest similar to that by Lord Xinling at ancient DaiLiang in the old days,
I’d never forget to repay your many favours in any way.

 

出塞 王昌齡

出塞      王昌齡 (698-756)

秦時明月漢時關，萬里長征人未還。

但使龍城飛將在，不教胡馬度陰山。

Outside the Borders      Wang Changling (698-756)

It’s the same bright moon of the Qin times that shines on the frontiers passes of Han,

The expeditionary armies fighting thousands of miles from home have yet to come round,
If only the Flying General Li Guang of the Dragon City were still alive and here in command,
Never would he have let the barbarian horses across the frontiers at Mt Yin advance.

長信怨 王昌齡

長信怨      王昌齡(698-756)

奉帚平明金殿開，且將團扇共徘徊。

玉顏不及寒鴉色，猶帶昭陽日影來。

The grief of Changxin Palace      Wang Changling (698-756)

At day break she waits with her broom at the Palace gate for the caller,
With a round fan in her hand, she loiters,
Her jade-like face rivals not the winter crows’ colours,
For they still bear the glow of the rising sun flying from the Sun Glow Palace over.

 

芙蓉樓送辛漸 王昌齡

芙蓉樓送辛漸      王昌齡 (698-756)        

寒雨連江夜入吳，平明送客楚山孤。

洛陽親友如相問，一片冰心在玉壺。
Bidding Xin Jian Farewell on the Lotus Tower                    Wang Changling (698-756)

Last night when chilly rain was all over the river I came to the land of Wu,

While seeing you off at dawn I beheld the solitary mountain in the land of Chu,
If my friends and relatives in Luoyang ask about me,
Do affirm, a piece of ice in a crystal jade pot my heart be.

 

 

 

閨怨 王昌齡

閨怨      王昌齡 (698-756)
閨中少婦不知愁，春日凝妝上翠樓。
忽見陌頭楊柳色，悔教夫婿覓封侯。 

Boudoir sorrows           Wang Changling (698-756)
A young lady knows nothing about sorrows in her boudoir,
On a spring day dressing up elegantly she mounts a verdantly garnished tower,
Presently she beholds the flourishing willows in full vernal colours,
So deeply chagrined she is at having urged her husband to go seeking imperial honours.