長安大道連狹斜， Chang'an's broad avenues link up with narrow lanes,
青牛白馬七香車。 There black oxen and white horses, coaches of fragrant woods,
玉輦縱橫過主第， Jade-fit palanquins go left and right, past the mansions of lords,
金鞭絡繹向侯家。 Gold riding whips in a long train move toward barons' homes.
金鞭絡繹向侯家。 Gold riding whips in a long train move toward barons' homes.
龍銜寶蓋承朝日， Dragons bite jeweled canopies, catching the morning sun,
鳳吐流蘇帶晚霞。 The phoenix disgorges dangling fringe, draped with evening's red clouds.
鳳吐流蘇帶晚霞。 The phoenix disgorges dangling fringe, draped with evening's red clouds.
百丈遊絲爭繞樹， A hundred yards of gossamer strands strain to enwrap the trees,
一羣嬌鳥共啼花。 While a single graceful flock of birds join their cries among flowers.
一羣嬌鳥共啼花。 While a single graceful flock of birds join their cries among flowers.
啼花戲蝶千門側， Cries among flowers, playful butterflies, by the palace's thousand gates,
碧樹銀臺萬種色。 Emerald trees, silver terraces, in a thousand different colors.
碧樹銀臺萬種色。 Emerald trees, silver terraces, in a thousand different colors.
複道交窗作合歡， Double-decked passage ways, intertwined windows make the union of lovers,
雙闕連薨垂鳳翼。 Paired tower gates, rising layers of tiles sweeping as phoenix wings.
雙闕連薨垂鳳翼。 Paired tower gates, rising layers of tiles sweeping as phoenix wings.
梁家畫閣天中起， The Liang clan's mural tower rises into the skies,
漢帝金莖雲外直。 The Emperor of Han's golden columns jut straight beyond the clouds.
漢帝金莖雲外直。 The Emperor of Han's golden columns jut straight beyond the clouds.
樓前相望不相知， But those you gaze on before great buildings are those you do not know,
陌上相逢詎相識。 And those you meet upon the paths, no acquaintance of yours.
陌上相逢詎相識。 And those you meet upon the paths, no acquaintance of yours.
借問吹簫向紫煙， Tell me of her who plays the pipes off into purple mists ---
曾經學舞度芳年。 She has spent her years of beauty studying dancing.
曾經學舞度芳年。 She has spent her years of beauty studying dancing.
得成比目何辭死， If we could become the sole fish, why would we flee from death?
願作鴛鴦不羨仙。 Could we but be the mandarin ducks, no yearnings to be immortals.
願作鴛鴦不羨仙。 Could we but be the mandarin ducks, no yearnings to be immortals.
比目鴛鴦真可羨， The sole fish, the mandarin ducks; they are truly worth of our yearning ---
雙去雙來君不見。 They come and go in pairs, can't you see them now?
雙去雙來君不見。 They come and go in pairs, can't you see them now?
生憎帳額繡孤鸞， Most I hate that the single phoenix woven in the top of the drapery;
好取門簾帖雙燕。 Most I love the swallow pair fixed on the curtained door.
好取門簾帖雙燕。 Most I love the swallow pair fixed on the curtained door.
雙燕雙飛繞畫梁， Pairs of swallows fly in their pairs around the painted beams,
羅幃翠被鬱金香。 There, gauze hangings, the kingfisher quilt, scent of tumeric.
羅幃翠被鬱金香。 There, gauze hangings, the kingfisher quilt, scent of tumeric.
片片行雲著蟬鬢， Then one by one, hairdos like clouds, cicada-wing curls hanging,
纖纖初月上鴉黃。 Eyebrows slender like new moons above the tawny oils.
纖纖初月上鴉黃。 Eyebrows slender like new moons above the tawny oils.
鴉黃粉白車中出， Tawny with oil, white with powder, they step from coaches,
含嬌含態情非一。 Charms within, loveliness within, hearts not fixed on one.
含嬌含態情非一。 Charms within, loveliness within, hearts not fixed on one.
妖童寶馬鐵連錢， Bewitching boys on jeweled horses with ironblack spots,
娼婦盤龍金屈膝。 And courtesans, pins of coiling dragons, golden legs bent under.
娼婦盤龍金屈膝。 And courtesans, pins of coiling dragons, golden legs bent under.
御史府中烏夜啼， In the office of the Censorate the crows cry by night,
廷尉門前雀欲栖。 By the Constabulary gate the sparrows go to roost.
廷尉門前雀欲栖。 By the Constabulary gate the sparrows go to roost.
隱隱朱城臨玉道， Mightily rising Vermillion Walls look down on roads like jade,
遙遙翠幰沒金堤。 In the distance, azure carriages sink behind gold-fasten bastions.
遙遙翠幰沒金堤。 In the distance, azure carriages sink behind gold-fasten bastions.
挾彈飛鷹杜陵北， Slings are clasped, falcons flown north of Duling,
探丸借客渭橋西。 Lots drawn for killing by sworn companions west of the Wei.
探丸借客渭橋西。 Lots drawn for killing by sworn companions west of the Wei.
俱邀俠客芙蓉劍， Greeting each other the bravos with lotus-hilted swords,
共宿娼家桃李蹊。 Spending nights together on peach and plum roads, the houses of singing girls.
共宿娼家桃李蹊。 Spending nights together on peach and plum roads, the houses of singing girls.
娼家日暮紫羅裙， At sunset in the singing girls' houses are skirts of purple gauze,
清歌一囀口氛氳。 And a verse of clear singing comes swelling from their mouths.
清歌一囀口氛氳。 And a verse of clear singing comes swelling from their mouths.
北堂夜夜人如月， In the northern halls night after night, people move as the moon,
南陌朝朝騎似雲。 On southern paths at every dawn, riders move as the clouds.
南陌朝朝騎似雲。 On southern paths at every dawn, riders move as the clouds.
南陌北堂連北里， Southward paths and northern halls link through the Northern Quarter,
五劇三條控三市。 Then great crossroads and wide highways rein in the Markets.
五劇三條控三市。 Then great crossroads and wide highways rein in the Markets.
弱柳青槐拂地垂， Plaint willows and green ash hang brushing the earth,
佳氣紅塵暗天起。 Sweet air and red dust rise darkening the skies.
佳氣紅塵暗天起。 Sweet air and red dust rise darkening the skies.
漢代金吾千騎來， Royal heralds of the House of Han come, a thousand outriders,
翡翠屠蘇鸚鵡杯。 Kingfisher colored liquors in parrot shaped goblets.
翡翠屠蘇鸚鵡杯。 Kingfisher colored liquors in parrot shaped goblets.
羅襦寶帶爲君解， Blouses of gauze and jeweled sashes are taken off for you,
燕歌趙舞爲君開。 The songs of Yan, the dances of Wu for you performed.
燕歌趙舞爲君開。 The songs of Yan, the dances of Wu for you performed.
別有豪華稱將相， But there are others bold and splendid called "minister" and "general,"
轉日回天不相讓。 The day turns, the heavens roll, and neither will yield to the other.
轉日回天不相讓。 The day turns, the heavens roll, and neither will yield to the other.
意氣由來排灌夫， Haughty spirits ever willing to push aside a [morally upright] Guanfu,
專權判不容蕭相。 A hold on power which cannot give in the least to a Minister Xiao.
專權判不容蕭相。 A hold on power which cannot give in the least to a Minister Xiao.
專權意氣本豪雄， Haughty spirits, hold on power, the stuff of ruthless heroes.
青虬紫燕坐春風。 Blue Dragon and Purple Swallow, great steeds in the spring wind.
青虬紫燕坐春風。 Blue Dragon and Purple Swallow, great steeds in the spring wind.
自言歌舞長千載, They said themselves their songs and dances would last a thousand years,
自謂驕奢凌五公。 And claimed a pride and extravagance beyond the Great Lords.
自謂驕奢凌五公。 And claimed a pride and extravagance beyond the Great Lords.
節物風光不相待， But the glory of each thing in its season was not to wait on them,
桑田碧海須臾改。 Mulberry fields and green oceans interchange in an instant.
桑田碧海須臾改。 Mulberry fields and green oceans interchange in an instant.
昔時金階白玉堂， Where once were the golden stairs, the halls of white marble,
即今唯見青松在。 We now see only the green pines remaining.
即今唯見青松在。 We now see only the green pines remaining.
寂寂寥寥揚子居， Silent there in the emptiness the dwelling of Yang Xiong,
年年歲歲一牀書。 Year after year, every year, his whole bed covered with books.
年年歲歲一牀書。 Year after year, every year, his whole bed covered with books.
獨有南山桂花發， Alone are the cassia flowers, blooming on South Mountain,
飛來飛去襲人裾。 They fly back and forth, fly into his sleeves.1
飛來飛去襲人裾。 They fly back and forth, fly into his sleeves.1
1 Translation taken from Stephen Owen, Poetry of the Early Tang, 1977.↩
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