Truyện Kiều – The Tale of Kieu (1265-1230)

Truyện Kiều (Câu 1265-1230)

Nguyễn Du

1265
Mối tình đòi đoạn vò tơ,
Giấc hương quan luống mẩn mơ canh dài.
Song sa vò võ phương trời,
Nay hoàng hôn đã lại mai hôn hoàng!
Lần lần thỏ bạc, ác vàng,

1270.
Xót người trong hội Đoạn tràng đòi cơn.
Đã cho lấy chữ hồng nhan,
Làm cho, cho hại, cho tàn, cho cân.
Đã đày vào kiếp phong trần,
Sao cho sỉ nhục một lần mới thôi!

1275.
Khách du bỗng có một người,
Kỳ Tâm họ Thúc cũng nòi thư hương.
Vốn người huyện Tích châu Thường,
Theo nghiêm đường mở ngôi hàng Lâm Truy.
Hoa khôi mộ tiếng Kiều nhi,

1280.
Thiếp hồng tìm đến hương khuê gửi vào.
Trướng tô giáp mặt hoa đào,
Vẻ nào chẳng mặn, nét nào chăng ưa?
Hải đường mơn mởn cành tơ,
Ngày xuân càng gió càng mưa càng nồng.

1285.
Nguyệt hoa, hoa nguyệt não nùng,
Đêm xuân ai dễ cầm lòng được chăng!
Lạ gì thanh khí lẽ hằng,
Một dây, một buộc, ai giằng cho ra!
Sớm đào tối mận lân la,

1290.
Trước còn trăng gió, sau ra đá vàng.
Dịp đâu may mắn lạ dường,
Lại vừa gặp khoảng xuân đường lại quê.
Sinh càng một tỉnh, mười mê,
Ngày xuân lắm lúc đi về với xuân.

1295.
Khi gió gác, khi trăng sân,
Bầu tiên chuốc rượu, câu thần nối thơ.
Khi hương sớm, khi trà trưa,
Bàn vây điểm nước, đường tơ hòa đàn.
Miệt mài trong cuộc truy hoan,

(English Version)

Author: Nguyễn Du
Translation: Chamberlain Kim Anh Ellen and Đặng Hoàng Lan

1265. All her thoughts and feelings began to collide.
The dream of returning home became an obsession.
Through her curtained window, in her rigid solitude,
She witnessed the sun set, to perpetually rise and set, to infinity.
All else went unnoticed, she wore the passing of time like a shroud.

1270. Steeped in grief she saw herself drowning in a league of sorrow.
God had gifted her with talent and beauty, and events followed
Which caused suffering and shame, but did it make her unworthy?
God now seems to have exiled her, seemingly leaving her adrift.
She was struggling, gasping for air, submerged in her cup of shame.

1275.
Then there was a man who came to set himself up in business.
His name was Thuc Ky Tam, belonging to an affluent family,
Whose home was in the Tich district in Thuong Province.
He emulated his father and opened a trading house in Lam Chuy.
When he heard the tales of Kieu’s skills to entertain a gentleman,

1280.
He became determined to spend time in her company.
He sent his calling card, but when he spied this blooming peach
He was immediately smitten by her graceful demeanor and form.
He turned as pink as his calling card, as pink as this camellia, Kieu.
The stormier her sail, the more her grace shone through.

1285. They met as moon meets flower, in mutual enchantment and need.
How can mortals be restrained betwixt love and a spring evening?
When two have twin sentiment and shared hopes, it seems finished,
As tho nothing could ever cut the knot that binds them together.
The lovers subsisted on practical peaches and dreamt of ripe plums.

1290.
In early days they were fickle like moon and wind, becoming bound.
There came an opportunity to solidify, as stone, like bronze,
Because came the day that Thuc’s father left to return home.
As his infatuation deepened he devoted every spare moment to her
And spent these days of Spring completely engulfed in their dreams

1295.
Together they enjoyed the breeze on the balcony, and the moon.
They gulped fairy wine, and a jolly competition of lyrical poetry.
They inhaled dawn’s scent, and gentle flavors of green tea at noon.
They played a game of chess or duets on their lutes.
They spent their time solely to indulge in the pursuit of pleasure.