ZZ59翻译对比：长恨歌(白居易)
Translation (Bai Juyi)
(a) translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam (Endless Regret)
(b) 许渊冲译 （The Everlasting Regret）
(c) 杨宪益、戴乃迭译 (Song of Eternal Sorrow)

汉皇重色思倾国，
(a) This libidinous Han Emperor desired an unrivaled stunner,
(b) The beauty-loving monarch longed year after year
(c) Appreciating feminine charms, The Han emperor sought a great beauty.

御宇多年求不得。
(a) but he wasn’t able to find one in many years of reign.
(b) To find a beautiful lady without peer.
(c) Throughout his empire he searched For many years without success.

杨家有女初长成，
(a) Yang family’s daughter had just grown up.
(b) A maiden of the Yangs to womanhood just grown,
(c) Then a daughter of the Yang family Matured to womanhood.

养在深闺人未识。
(a) In living a sheltered home life, the public did not know about her.
(b) In inner chambers bred, to the world was unknown.
(c) Since she was secluded in her chamber, None outside had seen her.

天生丽质难自弃，
(a) Being a born beauty, she could not stay a hidden gem forever.
(b) Endowed with natural beauty too hard to hide,
(c) Yet with such beauty bestowed by fate, How could she remain unknown?

一朝选在君王侧。
(a) So one day she was chosen to be at His Majesty’s side.
(b) One day she stood selected for the monarch’s side.
(c) One day she was chosen To attend the emperor.

回眸一笑百媚生，
(a) Her smile in turning her head was utterly enticing.
(b) Turning her head, she smiled so sweet and full of grace
(c) Glancing back and smiling, She revealed a hundred charms.

六宫粉黛无颜色。
(a) Women in six palaces were paled when stacked against her loveliness.
(b) That she outshone in six palaces the fairest face.
(c) All the powdered ladies of the six palaces At once seemed dull and colourless.

春寒赐浴华清池，
(a) In cold springtime, she was granted privilege to bathe at Huaqing fountain.
(b) She bathed in glassy water of warm-fountain pool,
(c) One cold spring day she was ordered To bathe in the Huaqing Palace baths.

温泉水滑洗凝脂。
(a) Hot spring water washed her satin-smooth skin.
(b) Which laved and smoothed her creamy skin when spring was cool.
(c) The warm water slipped down Her glistening jade-like body.

侍儿扶起娇无力，
(a) She was so helpless when maids assisted her to get up.
(b) Upborne by her attendants, she rose too faint to move,
(c) When her maids helped her rise, She looked so frail and lovely,

始是新承恩泽时。
(a) That was when she newly became the ruler’s favorite.
(b) And this was when she first received the monarch’s love.
(c) At once she won the emperor’s favour.

云鬓花颜金步摇，
(a) Swaying pin-tassels on hair-bun added charm to her pretty face.
(b) Flowerlike face and cloudlike hair, golden-headdressed,
(c) Her hair like a cloud, Her face like a flower, A gold hair-pin adorning her tresses.

芙蓉帐暖度春宵。
(a) Inside embroidered bed-drapes, she spent nights with Emperor.
(b) In lotus-flower curtain she spent the night blessed.
(c) Behind the warm lotus-flower curtain, They took their pleasure in the spring night.

春宵苦短日高起，
(a) Regrettably spring nights were short, and they only got up at high noon.
(b) She slept till sun rose high, for the blessed night was short,
(c) Regretting only the spring nights were too short; Rising only when the sun was high;

从此君王不早朝。
(a) Henceforth monarch did not attend morning court sessions.
(b) From then on the monarch held no longer morning court.
(c) He stopped attending court sessions In the early morning.

承欢侍宴无闲暇，
(a) She was fully occupied in entertaining and dining with him.
(b) In revels as in feasts she shared her lord’s delight,
(c) Constantly she amused and feasted with him,

春从春游夜专夜。
(a) In spring, touring and sleeping with him were her specialties.
(b) His companion on trips and his mistress at night.
(c) Accompanying him on his spring outings, Spending all the nights with him.

后宫佳丽三千人，
(a) There were three thousand gorgeous women in inner palaces,
(b) In inner palace dwelt three thousand ladies fair;
(c) Though many beauties were in the palace, More than three thousand of them,

三千宠爱在一身。
(a) and his attention was focused on one person—her.
(b) On her alone was lavished royal love and care.
(c) All his favours were centred on her.

金屋妆成娇侍夜，
(a) She was cuddly and dressed up to serve him at love nest nightly.
(b) Her beauty served the night when dressed in Golden Bower
(c) Finishing her coiffure in the gilded chamber, Charming, she accompanied him at night.

玉楼宴罢醉和春。
(a) High on wine after banquet at grand building she looked sensual.
(b) Or drunk with wine and spring at banquet in Jade Tower.
(c) Feasting together in the marble pavilion, Inebriated in the spring.

姊妹弟兄皆列士，
(a) Her siblings were all made high-ranking officials.
(b) All her sisters and brothers received rank and fief
(c) All her sisters and brothers Became nobles with fiefs.

可怜光彩生门户。
(a) Enviably she brought prosperity to the clan.
(b) And honours showered on her household, to the grief
(c) How wonderful to have so much splendour Centred in one family!

遂令天下父母心，
(a) As such, attitudes of parents across the nation
(b) Of the fathers and mothers who’d rather give birth
(c) All parents wished for daughters

不重生男重生女。
(a) preferred to give birth to girls and not boys.
(b) To a fair maiden than any son on earth.
(c) Instead of sons!

骊宫高处入青云，
(a) Branch palace at Mount Li was positioned at high altitude.
(b) The lofty palace towered high into blue cloud,
(c) The Li Mountain lofty pleasure palace Reached to the blue sky.

仙乐风飘处处闻。
(a) Wind carried heavenly music everywhere.
(b) With wind-borne music so divine the air was loud.
(c) The sounds of heavenly music were carried By the wind far and wide.

缓歌慢舞凝丝竹，
(a) From wind/string instruments came soothing tunes and dances.
(b) Seeing slow dance and hearing fluted or stringed song,
(c) Gentle melodies and graceful dances Mingled with the strings and flutes;

尽日君王看不足。
(a) All day long, Emperor didn’t get tired of watching them.
(b) The emperor was never tired the whole day long.
(c) The emperor never tired of these.

渔阳鼙鼓动地来，
(a) Earth-shattering battle drumbeats rang out at County Yuyang.
(b) But rebels beat their war drums, making the earth quake
(c) Then battle drums shook the earth, The alarm sounding from Yuyang.

惊破霓裳羽衣曲。
(a) They brutally interrupted the “Fairyland Feather-Dress Song”.
(b) And “Song of Rainbow Skirt and Coat of Feathers” break.
(c) The Rainbow and Feather Garments Dance Was stopped by sounds of war.

九重城阙烟尘生，
(a) Smoke and dust filled all nine sections of palaces.
(b) A cloud of dust was raised o’er city walls nine-fold;
(c) Dust filled the high-towered capital.

千乘万骑西南行。
(a) Thousands of riders and horses headed southwest.
(b) Thousands of chariots and horsemen southwestward rolled.
(c) As thousands of carriages and horsemen Fled to the southwest.

翠华摇摇行复止，
(a) The imperial convoy staggered forward and paused intermittently.
(b) Imperial flags moved slowly now and halted then,
(c) The emperor’s green-canopied carriage Was forced to halt,

西出都门百馀里。
(a) It arrived at a hundred plus Chinese miles west of capital’s front gate.
(b) And thirty miles from Western Gate they stopped again.
(c) Having left the west city gate More than a hundred li.

六军不发无奈何，
(a) Six battalions refused to move on and nothing could be done.
(b) Six armies would not march — what could be done? — with speed
(c) There was nothing the emperor could do, At the army’s refusal to proceed.

宛转蛾眉马前死。
(a) After much pleading, Yang was executed in front of ruler’s horse.
(b) Until the Lady Yang was killed before the steed.
(c) So she with the moth-like eyebrows Was killed before his horses.

花钿委地无人收，
(a) Nobody picked up her jewelry scattered on the ground.
(b) None would pick up her hairpin fallen to the ground
(c) Her floral-patterned gilded box Fell to the ground, abandoned and unwanted,

翠翘金雀玉搔头。
(a) And neither were the emerald and jade pieces.
(b) Or golden bird and comb with which her head was crowned.
(c) Like her jade hair-pin With the gold sparrow and green feathers.

君王掩面救不得，
(a) The Emperor covered his face and could do nothing to save her.
(b) The monarch could not save her and hid his face in fear;
(c) Covering his face with his hands, He could not save her.

回看血泪相和流。
(a) A mix of his blood and tears oozed out when he turned back his head.
(b) Turning his head, he saw her blood mix with his tear.
(c) Turning back to look at her, His tears mingled with her blood.

黄埃散漫风萧索，
(a) Yellow dust scattered in whistling wind.
(b) The yellow dust spread wide, the wind blew desolate;
(c) Yellow dust filled the sky; The wind was cold and shrill.

云栈萦纡登剑阁。
(a) Through sky-high meandering plank-road they climbed up to Sword Gate Pass.
(b) A serpentine plank path led to cloud-capped Sword Gate.
(c) Ascending high winding mountain paths, They reached the Sword Pass,

峨嵋山下少人行，
(a) Few travelers were seen below Emei-like Mountains.
(b) Below the Eyebrow Mountains wayfarers were few;
(c) At the foot of the Emei Mountains. Few came that way.

旌旗无光日色薄。
(a) In gloomy daylight, military banners lost their hues.
(b) In fading sunlight royal standards lost their hue.
(c) Their banners seemed less resplendent; Even the sun seemed dim.

蜀江水碧蜀山青，
(a) Both rivers and mountains at Shu Region were greenish.
(b) On western waters blue and western mountains green
(c) Though the rivers were deep blue, And the Sichuan mountains green,

圣主朝朝暮暮情。
(a) Day and night His Majesty was plagued by love-sickness.
(b) The monarch’s heart was daily gnawed by sorrow keen.
(c) Night and day the emperor mourned.

行宫见月伤心色，
(a) In seeing the moon at makeshift palace, he was heart-shattered.
(b) The moon viewed from his tent shed a soul-searing light,
(c) In his refuge when he saw the moon, Even it seemed sad and wan.

夜雨闻铃肠断声。
(a) Bell-ringing sounds in rain were particularly heart-wrenching.
(b) The bells heard in night rain made a heart-rending sound.
(c) On rainy nights, the sound of bells Seemed broken-hearted.

天旋地转回龙驭，
(a) With a turn of fortune, the imperial coach came back to the capital.
(b) Suddenly turned the tide. Returning from his flight,
(c) Fortunes changed, the emperor was restored. His dragon-carriage started back.

到此踌躇不能去。
(a) At the eventful place, Emperor paused and stopped going.
(b) The monarch could not tear himself away from the ground
(c) Reaching the place where she died, He lingered, reluctant to leave.

马嵬坡下泥土中，
(a) Inside the soil below the bottom of Mawei Slope,
(b) Where ‘mid the clods beneath the slope he couldn’t forget
(c) In the earth and dust of Mawei Slope,

不见玉颜空死处。
(a) the die-in-vain beauty could no longer be seen.
(b) The fair-faced Lady Yang, who was unfairly slain.
(c) No lady with the jade-like face was found. The spot was desolate.

君臣相顾尽沾衣，
(a) Looking at one another, tears soaked clothes of Emperor and officials.
(b) He looked at ministers, with tears his robe was wet;
(c) Emperor and servants exchanged looks, Their clothes stained with tears.

东望都门信马归。
(a) They let horses trot at own paces as they headed east to capital.
(b) They rode east to the capital, but with loose rein.
(c) Turning eastwards towards the capital, They led their horses slowly back.

归来池苑皆依旧，
(a) Upon their return, ponds and gardens stayed the same,
(b) Back, he found her pond and garden in the old place,
(c) The palace was unchanged on his return,

太液芙蓉未央柳。
(a) with lotuses in Taiye Pond and willows beside Weiyang Palace.
(b) With lotus in the lake and willows by the hall.
(c) With lotus blooming in the Taiye Pool And willows in the Weiyang Palace.

芙蓉如面柳如眉，
(a) Reminiscent were lotuses of her face and willows of her eyebrows.
(b) Willow leaves like her brows and lotus like her face;
(c) The lotus flowers were like her face; The willows like her eyebrows.

对此如何不泪垂！
(a) How could tears not fall facing these?
(b) At the sight of all these, how could his tears not fall
(c) How could he refrain from tears At their sight?

春风桃李花开日，
(a) There were days when peach/plum trees bloomed in spring breeze,
(b) Or when in vernal breeze were peach and plum full-blown
(c) The spring wind returned at night; The peach and plum trees blossomed again.

秋雨梧桐叶落时。
(a) and parasol leaves fell off under autumn rain.
(b) Or when in autumn rain parasol leaves were shed?
(c) Plane leaves fell in the autumn rains.

西宫南内多秋草，
(a) Fall-time weed was in abundance at west and south palaces.
(b) In western as in southern court was grass o’ ergrown;
(c) Weeds choked the emperor’s west palace;

落叶满阶红不扫。
(a) Doorsteps turned red from un-swept fallen leaves.
(b) With fallen leaves unswept the marble steps turned red.
(c) Piles of red leaves on the unswept steps.

梨园子弟白发新，
(a) Hairs of imperial performers had recently turned gray.
(b) Actors, although still young, began to have hair grey;
(c) The hair of the young musicians of the Pear Garden Turned to grey.

椒房阿监青娥老。
(a) Palace concubines and maids were getting old.
(b) Eunuchs and waiting maids looked old in palace deep.
(c) The green-clad maids of the spiced chambers Were growing old.

夕殿萤飞思悄然，
(a) At sunset, Emperor mulled in silence amid airborne fireflies at hall.
(b) Fireflies flitting the hall, mutely he pined away;
(c) At night when glow-worms flitted in the pavilion He thought of her in silence.

孤灯挑尽未成眠。
(a) Until lone oil lamp was burned out, he still couldn’t fall asleep.
(b) The lonely lampwick burned out; still he could not sleep.
(c) The lonely lamp was nearly extinguished, Yet still he could not sleep.

迟迟钟鼓初长夜，
(a) Time dragged on and hour-telling bells and drums seemed belated.
(b) Slowly beat drums and rang bells; night began to grow long;
(c) The slow sound of hells and drums Was heard in the long night.

耿耿星河欲曙天。
(a) Stars were shining bright just as the day began to break.
(b) Bright shone the Milky Way; daybreak seemed to come late.
(c) The Milky Way glimmered bright. It was almost dawn.

鸳鸯瓦冷霜华重，
(a) Chilly frost covered interlocked tiles on roof.
(b) The lovebird tiles grew chilly with hoar frost so strong,
(c) Cold and frosty the paired love-bird tiles;

翡翠衾寒谁与共？
(a) Who would share the dainty embroidery quilt with the monarch?
(b) And his kingfisher quilt was cold, not shared by a mate.
(c) Chilly the kingfisher-feathered quilt With none to share it.

悠悠生死别经年，
(a) After one long year in different paths between life and death,
(b) One long, long year the dead and the living were parted;
(c) Though she had died years before,

魂魄不曾来入梦。
(a) her spirit had not shown up in his dream.
(b) Her soul came not in dreams to see the brokenhearted.
(c) Even her spirit was absent from his dreams.

临邛道士鸿都客，
(a) A Linqiong Taoist priest was a visitor at Chang’an,
(b) A Taoist sorcerer came to the palace door,
(c) A priest from Linqiong came to Chang’an,

能以精诚致魂魄。
(a) Allegedly with utmost sincerity he could summon souls.
(b) Skilled to summon the spirit from the other shore.
(c) Said to summon spirits at his will.

为感君王辗转思，
(a) Touched by the monarch’s gnawing passion,
(b) Moved by the monarch’s yearning for the departed fair,
(c) Moved by the emperor’s longing for her,

遂教方士殷勤觅。
(a) the Taoist was instructed to search diligently for her.
(b) He was ordered to seek for her everywhere.
(c) He sent a magician to make a careful search.

排空驭气奔如电，
(a) With lightning speed, he zoomed across air and space.
(b) Borne on the air, like flash of lightning he flew;
(c) Swift as lightning, through the air he sped,

升天入地求之遍。
(a) In sky and earth, he looked all over different places.
(b) In heaven and on earth he searched through and through.
(c) Up to the heavens, below the earth, everywhere.

上穷碧落下黄泉，
(a) Locations in blue sky above and netherworld below were exhausted.
(b) Up to the azure vault and down to deepest place,
(c) Though they searched the sky and nether regions,

两处茫茫皆不见。
(a) There was no trace of her in these two boundless realms.
(b) Nor above nor below could he e’er find her trace.
(c) Of her there was no sign.

忽闻海上有仙山，
(a) Suddenly he heard there was a mountain at sea occupied by gods.
(b) He learned that on the sea were fairy mountains proud
(c) Till he heard of a fairy mountain

山在虚无缥缈间。
(a) The peak existed in an abstract yet realistic space.
(b) That now appeared, now disappeared amid the cloud
(c) In the ocean of a never-never land.

楼阁玲珑五云起，
(a) Exquisite tower rose amidst multicolored clouds.
(b) Of rainbow colours where rose magnificent bowers
(c) Ornate pavilions rose through coloured clouds,

其中绰约多仙子。
(a) Among the locals were many shapely goddesses.
(b) And dwelt so many fairies as graceful as flowers.
(c) Wherein dwelt lovely fairy folk.

中有一人字太真，
(a) One of them went by the name Taizhen.
(b) Among them was a queen whose name was Ever True;
(c) One was named Taizhen,

雪肤花貌参差是。
(a) Seemingly she had snow-like skin and flower-like beauty.
(b) Her snow-white skin and sweet face might afford a clue.
(c) With snowy skin and flowery beauty, Suggesting that this might be she.

金阙西厢叩玉扃，
(a) Knocking at the front gate upon arrival,
(b) Knocking at western gate of palace hall, he bade
(c) When he knocked at the jade door Of the gilded palace’s west chamber,

转教小玉报双成。
(a) he instructed a maid to deliver a message.
(b) The porter fair to inform the queen’s waiting maid.
(c) A fairy maid, Xiaoyu, answered, Reporting to another, Shuangcheng.

闻道汉家天子使，
(a) In hearing a sovereign’s representative was there,
(b) When she heard there came the monarch’s embassy,
(c) On hearing of the messenger From the Han emperor,

九华帐里梦魂惊。
(a) she was shocked out of her dream inside luxurious bed-drapes.
(b) The queen was startled out of dreams in her canopy.
(c) She was startled from her sleep Behind the gorgeous curtain.

揽衣推枕起徘徊，
(a) Pushing pillow aside and lifting her gown, she went hesitantly.
(b) Pushing aside the pillow, she rose and got dressed,
(c) Dressing, she drew it back, Rising hesitantly.

珠箔银屏迤逦开。
(a) Then she pushed open bead-curtain and silver screen.
(b) Passing through silver screen and pearl shade to meet the guest.
(c) The pearl curtains and silver screens Opened in succession.

云鬓半偏新睡觉，
(a) She was still half-awake with tilted hair-bun
(b) Her cloudlike hair awry, not full awake at all,
(c) Her cloudy tresses were awry, Just summoned from her sleep.

花冠不整下堂来。
(a) and untidy floral crown as she walked down the hallway.
(b) Her flowery cap slanted, she came into the hall.
(c) Without arranging her flower headdress, She entered the hall.

风吹仙袂飘飘举，
(a) When wind wafted up sleeves of her fairy-dress in floating motion,
(b) The wind blew up her fairy sleeves and made them float
(c) The wind blew her fairy skirt,

犹似霓裳羽衣舞。
(a) it was as if she was performing a “Fairyland Feather-Dress Dance”.
(b) As if she danced the “Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Coat.”
(c) Lifting it, as if she still danced The Rainbow and Feather Garments Dance.

玉容寂寞泪阑干，
(a) Tears crisscrossed her gorgeous face in sadness,
(b) Her jade-white face crisscrossed with tears in lonely world
(c) But her pale face was sad, Tears filled her eyes,

梨花一枝春带雨。
(a) as if it were a springtime pear-bloom in rain.
(b) Like a spray of pear blossoms in spring rain impearled.
(c) Like a blossoming pear tree in spring, With rain drops on its petals.

含情凝睇谢君王，
(a) She gazed at him and asked him to thank the monarch with love.
(b) She bade him thank her lord, lovesick and brokenhearted;
(c) Controlling her feelings and looking away, She thanked the emperor.

一别音容两渺茫。
(a) Once departed, memories of each other had become a blur.
(b) They knew nothing of each other after they parted.
(c) Since their parting she had not heard His voice nor seen his face.

昭阳殿里恩爱绝，
(a) Their mutual affection at Zhaoyang Palace had become history.
(b) Love and happiness long ended within palace walls;
(c) While she had been his first lady, Their love had been ruptured.

蓬莱宫中日月长。
(a) Many days and month still were coming in this Penglai-like place.
(b) Days and months appeared long in the fairyland halls.
(c) Many years had passed On Penglai fairy isle.

回头下望人寰处，
(a) In looking back at the mundane world,
(b) Turning her head and fixing on the earth her gaze,
(c) Turning her head, She gazed down on the mortal world.

不见长安见尘雾。
(a) Chang’an was out of sight while dust and fog remained.
(b) She saw no capital ‘mid clouds of dust and haze.
(c) Chang’an could not be seen, Only mist and dust.

唯将旧物表深情，
(a) She could only express her deep passion through mementos,
(b) To show her love was deep, she took out keepsakes old
(c) She presented old mementos To express her deep feeling.

钿合金钗寄将去。
(a) by asking him to bring back jewelry-studded box and gold hairpin.
(b) For him to carry back, hairpin and case of gold.
(c) Asking the messenger to take The jewel box and the golden pin.

钗留一股合一扇，
(a) She kept a portion of the hairpin and box.
(b) Keeping one side of the case and one wing of the pin,
(c) “I’ll keep one half of the pin and box;

钗擘黄金合分钿。
(a) Hairpin was broken apart and pattern of box was separated.
(b) She sent to her dear lord the other half of the twin.
(c) Breaking the golden pin And keeping the jewel lid.

但教心似金钿坚，
(a) She asked that their hearts to stay firm like gold.
(b) “If our two hearts as firm as the gold should remain.
(c) As long as our love lasts Like jewels and gold,

天上人间会相见。
(a) In heaven or earth they would meet again.
(b) In heaven or on earth we’ll sometime meet again.”
(c) We may meet again In heaven or on earth.”

临别殷勤重寄词，
(a) In bidding farewell, she earnestly asked him to bring back words.
(b) At parting she confided to the messenger
(c) Before they parted She again sent this message,

词中有誓两心知。
(a) In those words were pledges that only the two of them would know.
(b) A secret vow known only to her lord and her.
(c) Containing a pledge Only she and the emperor knew.

七月七日长生殿，
(a) In Changsheng Palace on seventh day of seventh month,
(b) On seventh day of seventh moon when none was near,
(c) In the Palace of Eternal Youth On the seventh of the seventh moon,

夜半无人私语时。
(a) he whispered in her ears when no one was around.
(b) At midnight in Long Life Hall he whispered in her ear,
(c) Alone they had whispered To each other at midnight:

在天愿作比翼鸟，
(a) In sky she would want to be joint-body birds with him.
(b) “On high, we’ d be two lovebirds flying wing to wing;
(c) “In heaven we shall he birds Flying side by side.

在地愿为连理枝。
(a) On ground she would want to be joint-branch trees together.
(b) On earth, two trees with branches twined from spring to spring.”
(c) On earth flowering sprigs On the same branch! ”

天长地久有时尽，
(a) Times would come when long-living heaven and earth would end.
(b) The boundless sky and endless earth may pass away,
(c) Heaven and earth may not last for ever,

此恨绵绵无绝期!
(a) But this regret would live on forever and ever.
(b) But this vow unfulfilled will be regretted for aye.
(c) But this sorrow was eternal.

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