Truyện Kiều – The Tale of Kieu (Verses 1370-1405)

Truyện Kiều (Câu 1370-1405)

Nguyễn Du

1370.
Ngoài hiên, thỏ đã non đoài ngậm gương.
Mượn điều trúc viện thừa lương,
Rước về, hãy tạm giấu nàng một nơi.
Chiến hòa sắp sẵn hai bài,
Cậy tay thầy thợ mượn người dò la.

1375.
Bắn tin sang mụ Tú Bà,
Thua cơ mụ cũng cầu hòa dám sao.
Rõ ràng của dẫn tay trao,
Hoàn lương một thiếp thân vào cửa công.
Công tư đôi lẽ đều xong,

1380.
Gót tiên phút đã thoát vòng trần ai.
Một nhà sum họp trúc mai,
Càng sâu nghĩa bể càng dài tình sông.
Hương càng đượm, lửa càng nồng,
Càng sôi vẻ ngọc, càng lồng màu sen!

1385.
Nửa năm hơi tiếng vừa quen,
Sân ngô cành biếc đã chen lá vàng.
Giậu thu vừa nảy dò sương,
Cởi yên đã thấy xuân đường đến nơi.
Phong lôi nổi trận bời bời,

1390.
Nặng lòng e ấp, tính bài phân chia.
Quyết ngay biện bạch một bề,
Dạy cho má phấn lại về lầu xanh.
Thấy lời nghiêm huấn rành rành,
Đánh liều, Sinh. mới lấy tình nài kêu.

1395.
Rằng: “Con biết tội đã nhiều,
Dẫu rằng sấm sét búa rìu cũng cam.
Trót vì tay đã nhúng chàm,
Dại rồi còn biết khôn làm sao đây?
Cùng nhau vả tiếng một ngày,

1400.
Ôm cầm ai nỡ dứt dây cho đành.
Lượng trên quyết chẳng thương tình,
Bạc đen thôi có tiếc mình làm chi.
Thấy lời sắt đá tri tri,
Sốt gan! ông mới cáo quỳ cửa công.

(English Version)

The Tale of Kieu (Verses 1370-1405)

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

1370. From the west, behind the mountains, the moon descended to rest.
Telling Tu,Thuc said he wished to take a stroll with Kieu and
They escaped to a gazebo made of bamboo, and stayed awhile.
He formed a plan to liberate her, whether by peace or violence.
His intent was to offer bribes, so with stealth he inquired about this.

1375. He began, inevitably, with Madam Tu, and informed her of his plan.
He would outsmart her, allowing her no option but to cooperate.
Obviously, he must pay the ransom into her greedy claws.
He took written proof, a receipt from Tu to officials, as evidence.
This satisfied and terminated all claims to Kieu, public and private.

1380. How swift and sure his valiant actions had rid them of her misery.
Now, both bamboo and shoot dwelled together.
Their love deepened as the sea and flowed as a river to the distance.
The scent of their love emanated from their pores, like flames.
Like jade, she clarified with time, immersed as the lotus, but in love.

1385. In merely half a year they became immeasurably more familiar.
The green trees had turned to yellow and the hedge was now scarlet,
In only a season they became like blue branches sprouting corn.
Unanticipated and unannounced, Thuc’s father came on horseback.
Upon discovering Thuc had married Kieu, he became enraged.

1390.
Agitated and apprehensive, he set his jaw to sever their union.
Considerate of nothing and without hesitation he objected
Ordering that our Kieu, she with the powdered cheeks, flee go.
It was plain his father wouldn’t hear reason or care for sentiment.
Seeing no other way forward, Thuc shamelessly began to beg.

1395. Dearest Father, with shame I admit my transgression,
And I submit myself to any punishment, thunderbolt or hatchet.
My hands, submersed in bewitching indigo, cannot be pale anew.
If I’m found to be a fool, I can’t grow wise simply because I’m told.
Had it been but one solitary day that we had lived as man and wife,

1400. Playing lute, how could I have indifference in plucking that string?
If any allowance for my own choices is forbidden,
I am then denied opportunity to misstep and learn of regret!”
These childish pleas wore out the old man’s self-restraint.
He decided to lodge a strong complaint at once with the authorities.