唐詩三百首英譯 韓瘉：八月十五夜贈張功曹

七言古詩

韓瘉

八月十五夜贈張功曹

纖雲四卷天無河， 清風吹空月舒波。

沙平水息聲影絕， 一盃相屬君儅歌。

君歌聲酸辤且苦， 不能聽終淚如雨。

洞庭連天九疑高， 蛟龍出沒猩鼯號。

十生九死到官所， 幽居默默如藏逃。

下牀畏蛇食畏葯， 海氣溼蟄燻腥臊。

昨者州前槌大鼓， 嗣皇繼聖登夔臯。

赦書一日行萬裡， 罪從大辟皆除死。

遷者追廻流者還， 滌瑕蕩垢清朝班。

州家申名使家抑， 坎軻祇得移荊蠻。

判司卑官不堪說， 未免捶楚塵埃間。

同時輩流多上道， 天路幽險難追攀。

君歌且休聽我歌， 我歌今與君殊科。

一年明月今宵多， 人生由命非由他；

有酒不飲奈明何？

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seven-character-ancient-verse

Han Yu

ON THE FESTIVAL OF THE MOON TO SUB-OFFICIAL ZHANG

The fine clouds have opened and the River of Stars is gone，

A clear wind blows across the sky， and the moon widens its wave，

The sand is smooth， the water still， no sound and no shadow，

As I offer you a cup of wine， asking you to sing.

But so sad is this song of yours and so bitter your voice

That before I finish listening my tears have become a rain：

“Where Lake Dongting is joined to the sky by the lofty Nine-Doubt Mountain，

Dragons， crocodiles， rise and sink， apes， flying foxes， whimper……

At a ten to one risk of death， I have reached my official post，

Where lonely I live and hushed， as though I were in hiding.

I leave my bed， afraid of snakes； I eat， fearing poisons；

The air of the lake is putrid， breathing its evil odours……

Yesterday， by the district office， the great drum was announcing

The crowning of an emperor， a change in the realm.

The edict granting pardons runs three hundred miles a day，

All those who were to die have had their sentences commuted，

The unseated are promoted and exiles are recalled，

Corruptions are abolished， clean officers appointed.

My superior sent my name in but the governor would not listen

And has only transferred me to this barbaric place.

My rank is very low and useless to refer to；

They might punish me with lashes in the dust of the street.

Most of my fellow exiles are now returning home ——

A journey which， to me， is a heaven beyond climbing.

……Stop your song， I beg you， and listen to mine，

A song that is utterly different from yours：

“Tonight is the loveliest moon of the year.

All else is with fate， not ours to control；

But， refusing this wine， may we choose more tomorrow？