[updated November 2022]
Lament Their Leaving: Two Poems
挽 辞： 二 首
(1)
珠 碎 眼 前 珍
花 凋 世 处 春。
未 销 心 里 恨
又 失 掌 中 身。
玉 笥 犹 残 药
香 奁 已 染 尘。
前 哀 将 后 感
无 泪 可 沾 巾。
(2)
艳 质 同 芳 树
浮 危 道 略 同。
正 悲 春 落 实
又 苦 雨 伤 丛。
秾 丽 今 何 在？
飘 零 事 已 空。
沉 沉 无 问 处
千 载 谢 东 风。
Wan Ci: Er Shou
(1)
Zhu sui yan qian zhen
Hua diao shi chu chun.
Wei xiao xin li hen
You shi zhang zhong shen.
Yu si you can yao
Xiang lian yi ran chen.
Qian ai iang hou gan
Wu lei ke zhan jin.
(2)
Yan zhi tong fang shu
Fu wei dao lue tong.
Zheng bei chun luo shi
You ku yu shang cong.
Nong li jin he zai?
Piao ling shi yi kong.
Chen chen wu wen chu
Qian zai xie dong feng.
Lament Their Leaving: Two Poems
(1)
In front of my eyes, treasured son like broken pearls
Wife’s death, withered flower at the beginning of spring.
Not yet recovered heart-mind inside resentments
Losing her son, cannot again share his life.
Remnants of medicine still remain in her decorated basket
Her fragrant toiletry case already dusty and changed colors.
Two times the feelings of sorrow overwhelming
No tears left to moisten my clothes.
(2)
She so attractive, and he so capable, came from the same aromatic tree
Floating on the surface, their road was short and brief.
Still melancholy, his fruit fell down just before springtime
Too much rain injured her flowered clusters.
Where now are these luxuriant and bright entities?
Already everything empty, fractional and transient.
Deep and heavy evening without having dreams to find them
For thousand years, the east wind continues to blow.
Notes:
Both Li Yu’s young son and wife died in 964 AD.