【红楼梦引子】
ProloguetoTheDreamofRedMansions
杨宪益戴乃迭译

开辟鸿蒙,谁为情种?
都只为风月情浓。
Atthedawnofcreation
Whosowedtheseedsoflove?
Fromthestrongpassionofbreezeandmoonlighttheycame.
趁着这奈何天、伤怀日、寂寥时,试遣愚衷。
因此上演出这怀金悼玉的《红楼梦》。
Sointhisworldofsweetlonging
Onadayofdistress,inanhourofloneliness,
FainwouldIimpartmysenselessgrief
BysingingthisDreamofRedMansions
TomourntheGoldandtheJade.
【枉凝眉】
VainLonging
杨宪益戴乃迭译

一个是阆苑仙葩,一个是美玉无暇。
Oneisanimmortalfloweroffairyland,
Theotherfairflawlessjade,
若说没奇缘,今生偏又遇着他;
Andwereitnotpredestined
Whyshouldtheymeetagaininthisexistence?
若说有奇缘,如何心事终虚化?
Yet,ifpredestined,
Whydoestheirlovecometonothing?
一个枉自嗟呀,一个空劳牵挂。
Onesighstonopurpose,
Theotheryearnsinvain;
一个是水中月,一个是镜中花。
Oneisthemoonreflectedinthewater,
Theotherbutaflowerinthemirror.
想眼中能有多少泪珠儿,
Howmanytearscanwellfromhereyes?
怎经得秋流到冬尽,春流到夏!
Cantheyflowonfromautumntillwinter,
Fromspringtillsummer?
霍克斯译

满纸荒唐言,一把辛酸泪!
Pagesfullofidlewords
Pennedwithhotandbittertears:
都云作者痴,谁解其中味?
Allmencalltheauthorfool;
Nonehissecretmessagehears.
【太虚幻境楹联】
IllusoryLandofGreatVoid
杨宪益戴乃迭译

假作真时真亦假,无为有处有还无。
Whenfalseistakenfortrue,truebecomesfalse;
Ifnon-beingturnsintobeing,beingbecomesnon-being.
【葬花吟】
杨宪益戴乃迭译

花谢花飞飞满天,红消香断有谁怜?
Asblossomsfadeandflyacrossthesky,
Whopitiesthefadedred,thescentthathasbeen?
游丝软系飘春榭,落絮轻沾扑绣帘。
Softlythegossamerfloatsoverspringpavilions,
Gentlythewillowfluffwaftstotheembroideredscreen.
闺中女儿惜春暮,愁绪满怀无释处,
Agirlinherchambermournsthepassingofspring,
Norelieffromanxietyherpoorheartknows;
手把花锄出绣闺,忍踏落花来复去。
Hoeinhandshestepsthroughherportal,
Loathtotreadontheblossomasshecomesandgoes.
柳丝榆荚自芳菲,不管桃飘与李飞。
Willowsandelms,freshandverdant,
Carenotifpeachandplumblossomdriftaway;
桃李明年能再发,明年闺中知有谁?
Nextyearthepeachandplumwillbloomagain,
Butherchambermaystandemptyonthatday.
三月香巢已垒成,梁间燕子太无情。
Bythethirdmonththescentednestsarebuilt,
Buttheswallowsonthebeamareheartlessall;
明年花发虽可啄,却不道人去梁空巢也倾!
Nextyear,thoughonceagainyoumaypeckthebuds,
Fromthebeamofanemptyroomyournestwillfall.
一年三百六十日,风刀霜剑严相逼。
Eachyearforthreehundredandsixtydays
Thecuttingwindandbitingfrostcont.
明媚鲜妍能几时,一朝飘泊难寻觅。
Howlongcanbeautyflowerfreshandfair?
Inasingledaywindcanwhirlittoits.
花开易见落难寻,阶前闷杀葬花人。
Fallen,thebrightestbloomsarehardtofind;
Withachinghearttheirgrave-diggercomesnow.
独倚花锄泪暗洒,洒上空枝见血痕。
Alone,herhoeinhand,hersecrettears
Fallinglikedropsofbloodoneachbarebough.
杜鹃无语正黄昏,荷锄归去掩重门。
Duskfallsandthecuckooissilent;
Herhoebroughtback,thelodgeislockedandstill;
青灯照壁人初睡,冷雨敲窗被未温。
Agreenlamplightsthewallassteepenfoldsher,
Coldrainpeltsthecasementandherquiltischill.
怪奴底事倍伤神,半为怜春半恼春:
Whatcausesmytwo-foldanguish?
Loveforspringandresentmentofspring;
怜春忽至恼忽去,至又无言去不闻。
Forsuddenlyitcomesandsuddenlygoes,
Itsarrivalunheralded,noiselessitsdeparting.
昨宵庭外悲歌发,知是花魂与鸟魂?
Lastnightfromthecourtyardfloatedasadsong–
Wasitthesoulofblossom,thesoulofbirds?
花魂鸟魂总难留,鸟自无言花自羞。
Hardtodetain,thesoulofblossomorbirds,
Forblossomshavenoassurance,birdsnowords.
愿奴胁下生双翼,随花飞到天尽头。
Ilongtotakewingandfly
Withtheflowerstoearth'suttermostbound;
天尽头,何处有香丘?
Andyetatearth'suttermostbound
Wherecanafragrantburialmoundbefound?
未若锦囊收艳骨,一抔净土掩风流。
Bettershroudthefairpetalsinsilk
Withcleanearthfortheirouterattire;
质本洁来还洁去,强于污淖陷渠沟。
Forpureyoucameandpureshallgo,
Notsinkingintosomefoulditchormire.
尔今死去侬收葬,未卜侬身何日丧?
NowyouaredeadIcometoburyyou;
NonehasdivinedthedaywhenIshalldie;
侬今葬花人笑痴,他年葬侬知是谁?
Menlaughatmyfollyinburyingfallenflowers,
ButwhowillburymewheadIlie?
试看春残花渐落,便是红颜老死时。
See,whenspringdrawstoacloseandflowersfall,
Thisistheseasonwhenbeautymustebbandfade;
一朝春尽红颜老,花落人亡两不知。
Thedaythatspringtakeswingandbeautyfades
Whowillcareforthefallenblossomordeadmaid?
【黛玉容貌】
霍克斯译

两弯似蹙非蹙笼烟眉,
一双似喜非喜含情目。
Hermist-wreathedbrowsatfirstseemedtofrown,yetwerenotfrowning;
Herpassionateeyesatfirstseemedtosmile,yetwerenotmerry.
态生两靥之愁,娇袭一身之病。
Habithadgivenamelancholycasttoherterface;
Naturehadbestowedasicklyconstitutiononherdelicateframe.
泪光点点,娇喘微微。
Oftentheeyesswamwithglisteningtears;
Oftenthebreathcameingentlegasps.
闲静时如姣花照水,
行动处似弱柳扶风。
Instillnessshemadeonethinkofagracefulflowerreflectedinthewater;
Inmotionshecalledtomindterwillowshootscaressedbythewind.
心较比干多一窍,
病如西子胜三分。
ShehadmorechambersinherheartthanthemartyredBiGan;
AndsufferedatithemorepaininitthanthebeautifulXiShi.
【宝黛初见】
杨宪益戴乃迭译

黛玉一见,便吃一大惊,心下想道:“好生奇怪!倒像在那里见过的一般,何等眼熟到如此!”
HisappearancetookDaiyubysurprise.“Howverystrange!”shethought.“It’sasifI’”
宝玉看罢,因笑道:“这个妹妹我曾见过的。”
“I’vemetthiscousinbefore,”hedeclaredattheofhisscrutiny.
贾母笑道:“可又是胡说!你又何曾见过她?”
“You’retalkingnonsenseagain,”saidhisgrandmother,laughing.“Howcouldyoupossiblyhavemether?”
宝玉笑道:“虽然未曾见过她,然我看着面善,心里就算是旧相识,今日只作远别重逢,未为不可。”
“Well,evenifIhaven’t,’reoldfrismeetingagainafteralongseparation.”
【王熙凤容貌】
霍克斯译

一双丹凤三角眼,两弯柳叶吊梢眉;
Eyeslikeapaintedphoenix,
eyebrowslikewillow-leaves,
身量苗条,体格风骚;
aslerform,
seductivegrace;
粉面含春威不露,丹唇未启笑先闻。
theever-smilingsummerface
ofhiddenthundersshowednotrace;
theever-bubblinglaughterstarted
almostbeforethelipswereparted.
【聪明累】
CaughtByHerOwnCunning
霍克斯译

机关算尽太聪明,反算了卿卿性命。
Tooshrewdbyhalf,withsuchfinesseyouwrought
Thatyourownlifeinyourowntoilswascaught;
生前心已碎,死后性空灵。
Butlongbeforeyoudiedyourheartwasslain,
Andwhenyoudiedyourspiritwalkedinvain.
家富人宁,终有个家亡人散各奔腾。
Fall'nthegreathouseoncesosecureinwealth,
Eachscatteredmembershiftingforhimself;
枉费了,意悬悬半世心;
好一似,荡悠悠三更梦。
Andhalfalife-time’sanxiousschemes
Provednomorethanthestuffofdreams.
忽喇喇似大厦倾,昏惨惨似灯将尽。
Likeagreatbuilding’stotteringcrash,
Likeflickeringlampwickburnedtoash,
呀!一场欢喜忽悲辛。
叹人世,终难定。
Yoursceneofhappinessconcludesingrief:
Forworldlyblissisalwaysinsecureandbrief.
【晴雯】
霍克斯译

霁月难逢,彩云易散。
Seldomthemoonshinesinacloudlesssky,
Anddaysofbrightnessalltoosoonpassby.
心比天高,身为下贱。
Anobleandaspiringmind
Inabase-bornframeconfined.
【好了歌】
AllGoodThingsMust
杨宪益戴乃迭译

世人都晓神仙好,惟有功名忘不了。
Allmenlongtobeimmortals
Yettorichesandrankeachaspires;
古今将相在何方,荒冢一堆草没了。
Thegreatonesofold,wherearetheynow?
Theirgravesareamassofbriars.
世人都晓神仙好,只有金银忘不了。
Allmenlongtobeimmortals,
Yetsilverandgoldtheyprize
终朝只恨聚无多,及到多时眼闭了。
Andgrubformoneyalltheirlives
Tilldeathsealsuptheireyes.
世人都晓神仙好,只有娇妻忘不了。
Allmenlongtobeimmortals
Yetdoteonthewivesthey’vewed,
君生日日说恩情,君死又随人去了。
Whosweartolovetheirhusbandevermore
Butremarryassoonashe’sdead.
世人都晓神仙好,只有儿孙忘不了。
Allmenlongtobeimmortals
Yetwithgettingsonswon’thavedone.
痴心父母古来多,孝顺儿孙谁见了。
Althoughfondparentsarelegion,
Whoeversawareallyfilialson?
【终身误】
ALifeMisspent
杨宪益戴乃迭译

都道是金玉良姻,俺只念木石前盟。
Well-matched,allsay,thegoldandthejade;
Ialonerecallthepledgebetweenplantandstone.
空对着,山中高士晶莹雪;
终不忘,世外仙姝寂寞林。
Vainlyfacingthehermitinsparklingsnow-cladhills
Iforgetnotthefairyinlonewoodsbeyondtheworld.
叹人间,美中不足今方信。
纵然是齐眉举案,到底意难平。
Isigh,learningthatnoman’shappinessiscomplete:
Evenapairthoughtwell-matched
Mayfinddisappointment.
【红豆词】
杨宪益戴乃迭译

滴不尽相思血泪抛红豆,
开不完春柳春花满画楼,
Likedropsofbloodfalllesstearsoflonging,
Bypaintedpaviliongrowwillowsandflowersuntold;
睡不稳纱窗风雨黄昏后,
忘不了新愁与旧愁,
Sleeplessatnightwhenwindandrainlashgauzewindows,
Shecannotforgethersorrowsnewandold;
咽不下玉粒金莼噎满喉,
照不见菱花镜里形容瘦。
Chokingonricelikejadeandwinelikegold,
Sheturnsfromherwanreflectionintheglass;
展不开的眉头,捱不明的更漏。
Nothingcansmoothawayherfrown,
Itseemsthatthelongnightwillneverpass;
呀!恰便似遮不住的青山隐隐,
流不断的绿水悠悠。
Liketheshadowofpeaks,hergriefisnevergone;
Likethegreenstreamitflowsforeveron.
【黛玉湘云联诗】
杨宪益戴乃迭译

寒塘渡鹤影,冷月葬花魂。
Astork’sshadowflitacrossthechillypool
Thepoet’sspiritisburiedincoldmoonlight.
【飞鸟各投林】
TheBirdsIntoTheWoodHaveFlown
霍克斯译

为官的,家业凋零;
富贵的,金银散尽;
Theofficejack’scareerisblighted,
Therichman’sfortunenowallvanished,
有恩的,死里逃生;
无情的,分明报应;
Thekindwithlifehavebeenrequited,
Thecruelexemplarilypunished;
欠命的,命已还;
欠泪的,泪已尽。
Theonewhoowedalifeisdead,
Thetearsoneowedhaveallbeenshed.
冤冤相报实非轻,分离聚合皆前定。
Wrongssufferedhavethewrongsdoneexpiated;
Thecouplingsandthesunderingwerefated.
欲知命短问前生,老来富贵也真侥幸。
Untimelydeathsininsomepastlifeshows,
Butonlyluckablestoldagebestows.
看破的,遁入空门;
痴迷的,枉送了性命。
Thedisillusionedtotheirconventsfly,
Thestilldeludedmiserablydie.
好一似食尽鸟投林,落了片白茫茫大地真干净!
Likebirdswho,havingfed,tothewoodsrepair,
Theyleavethelandscapedesolateandbare.