The Jewel Stairs' Grievance

Li Po

The jewelled steps are already quite white with dew,

It is so late that the dew soaks my gauze stockings,

And I let down the crystal curtain

And watch the moon through the clear autumn.

(translated by Ezra Pound,who adds the following

NOTE: Jewel stairs, therefore a palace. Grievance, therefore there is something to complain of. Gauze stockings, therefore a court lady, not a servant who complains. Clear autumn, therefore he has no excuse on account of the weather. Also she has come early, for the dew has not merely whitened the stairs, but has soaked her stockings. The poem is especially prized because she utters no direct reproach.)

附：玉阶怨

[唐]   李白

玉阶生白露， 夜久侵罗袜。

却下水晶帘， 玲珑望秋月。

II:

Taking Leave of a Friend

Blue mountains to the north of the walls,

White river winding about them;

Here we must make separation

And go out through a thousand miles of dead grass.

Mind like a floating wide cloud,

Sunset like the parting of old acquaintances

Who bow over their clasped hands at a distance.

Our horses neigh to each others

  as we are departing.

    -Li T'ai-po, trans. Ezra Pound

附：送友人

  [唐] 李白

青山横北郭，白水绕东城。

此地一为别，孤蓬万里征。

浮云游子意，落日故人情。

挥手自兹去，萧萧班马鸣。

IV:

THE RIVER-MERCHANT'S WIFE

While my hair was still cut straight across my forehead

I played about the front gate, pulling flowers.

You came by on bamboo stilts, playing horse,

You walked about my seat, playing with blue plums.

And we went on living in the village of Chokan:

Two small people, without dislike or suspicion.

At forteen I married My Lord you.

I never laughed, being bashful.

Lowering my head, I looked at the wall.

Called to, a thousand times, I never looked back.

At fifteen I stopped scowling,

I desired my dust to be mingled with yours

Forever and forever and forever.

Why should I climb the look out?

At sixteen you departed,

You went into far Ku-to-en, by the river of swirling eddies,

And you have been gone five months.

The monkeys make sorrowful noise overhead.

You dragged your feet when you went out.

By the gate now, the moss is grown, the different mosses,

Too deep to clear them away!

The leaves fall early this autumn, in wind.

The paired butterflies are already yellow with August

Over the grass in the West garden;

They hurt me. I grow older.

If you are coming down through the narrows of the river Kiang,

Please let me know beforehand,

And I will come out to meet you

    As far as Cho-fu-Sa.

[Note: This is Pound's translation of a poem by the 8th century poet

    Li T'ai-Po --- such a free translation as to be a very different poem.]

附：                 《长干行》

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 [唐]   李白

　　　　　　　　　　　　 妾发初覆额，折花门前剧。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 郎骑竹马来，绕床弄青梅。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 同居长干里，两小无嫌猜。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 十四为君妇，羞颜未尝开。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 低头向暗壁，千唤不一回。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 十五始展眉，愿同尘与灰。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 常存抱柱信，岂上望夫台。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 十六君远行，瞿塘滟澦堆。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 五月不可触，猿声天上哀。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 门前迟行迹，一一生绿苔。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 苔深不能扫，落叶秋风早。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 八月蝴蝶黄，双飞西园草。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 感此伤妾心，坐愁红颜老。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 早晚下三巴，预将书报家。

　　　　　　　　　　　　 相迎不道远，直至长风沙。