Yuan Mei

哭聪娘 [清]袁枚 记得歌成《陌上桑》， 罗敷身许嫁王昌。 双栖吴苑三秋月， 并走秦关万里霜。 羹是手调才有味， 语无心曲不同商。 如何二十多年事， 只抵春宵一梦长。 Elegy on My Wise Mistress[1] Yuan Mei I still remember her singing “Mulberry Song”, And the wedding of her beauty with my renown. In autumn we enjoyed the southern moon for long; In winter severed by west mountains snowflakes crown. I relished no rich soup

推窗 [清]袁枚 连宵风雨恶， 蓬户[1]不轻开。 山似相思久， 推窗扑面来。 注释： [1]蓬户：用蓬草编成的门户，形容住所简陋，亦具有野人之趣。 On Pushing Open the Window Yuan Mei All night long rain fell thick; Doors closed, I stay inside. At dawn hills come love-sick; Through windows opened wide.

鸡 [清]袁枚 养鸡纵[1]鸡食， 鸡肥乃烹之。 主人计自佳， 不可使鸡知。 注释： [1]纵：放纵，任凭。 The Chickens Yuan Mei The chickens eat their fill; They’re boiled when fat they grow. The feeder’s wise and will; Not let the chickens know.

遣兴 [清]袁枚 爱好由来下笔难， 一诗千改始心安。 阿婆还似初笄女[1]， 头未梳成不许看。 注释： [1]初笄女：古代女子15岁加笄，初笄女指刚成年的女子。笄：古代妇女盘头用的簪子。 On Verse Writing Yuan Mei It’s hard to make a verse which could afford delight; I cannot feel at ease till I write and rewrite. An old beauty should make up like a maiden fair; She would not show herself unless she’s dressed her hair.

马嵬[1] [清]袁枚 莫唱当年长恨歌[2]， 人间亦自有银河。 石壕村里夫妻别， 泪比长生殿[3]上多。 注释： [1]马嵬：马嵬坡，在今陕西兴平市西。安史之乱时，唐玄宗逃到这里，在随军将士的胁迫下，勒死杨贵妃。 [2]长恨歌：白居易写的一首关于唐玄宗、杨贵妃爱情悲剧的叙事长诗。 [3]长生殿：华清宫的一座殿。唐玄宗和杨贵妃有感于牛郎织女被银河分隔，七月七日在殿里海誓山盟，表示永世不分。 On Lady Yang[1] Yuan Mei Sing not of Lady Yang’s regret of days gone by! The Silver River severs on earth as on high. In Stone Moat Village when the man parted from his wife, More tears were shed than in the Palace of Long