Truyện Kiều – The Tale of Kieu (Verses 1545-1580)

Truyện Kiều (Câu 1545-1580)

Nguyễn Du

1545.
Tính rằng cách mặt khuất lời,
Giấu ta ta cũng liệu bài giấu cho!
Lo gì việc ấy mà lo,
Kiến trong miệng chén có bò đi đâu?
Làm cho nhìn chẳng được nhau,

1550.
Làm cho đầy đọa cất đầu chẳng lên.
Làm cho trông thấy nhỡn tiền,
Cho người thăm ván, bán thuyền biết tay!”
Nỗi lòng kín chẳng ai hay,
Ngoài tai, để mặc gió bay mái ngoài.

1555.
Tuần sau bỗng thấy hai người,
Mách tin, ý cũng liệu bài tâng công.
Tiểu thư nổi giận đùng đùng:
“Gớm tay thêu dệt ra lòng trêu ngươi.
Chồng tao nào phải như ai,

1560.
Điều này hẳn miệng những người thị phi!”
Vội vàng xuống lệnh ra uy,
Đứa thì vả miệng, đứa thì bẻ răng.
Trong ngoài kín mít như bưng.
Nào ai còn dám nói năng một lời!

1565.
Buồng đào khuya sớm thảnh thơi,
Ra vào một mực, nói cười như không.
Đêm ngày lòng những giận lòng,
Sinh đà về đến lầu hồng xuống yên.
Lời tan hợp nỗi hàn huyên,

1570.
Chữ tình càng mặn, chữ duyên càng nồng.
Tẩy trần vui chén thong dong,
Nỗi lòng ai ở trong lòng mà ra?
Chàng về xem ý tứ nhà,
Sự mình cũng rắp lân la giãi bày.

1575.
Mấy phen cười nói tỉnh say,
Tóc tơ bất động mảy may sự tình.
“Nghĩ đà bưng kín miệng bình,
Nào ai có khảo mà mình đã xưng?”
Những là e ấp dùng dằng,

(English Version)

The Tale of Kieu (Verses 1545-1580)

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

1545.
So childish of him to think when I don’t see I don’t know!?
Now I’m forced to pretend and take part in this transparent secret!
The fact doesn’t concern me, it is the deception that shames me!
How can an ant crawl out from the inside of a bowl?
Their deception will cause them to despise and reject each other.

1550.
I will repeatedly embarrass her until she can’t bear to be seen.
I will force them to experience their consequences in the open,
All will see and thus the traitors will be punished by my iron hand!”
She locked her shame and jealousy deep inside her heart,
And barricaded all the rumours that swirled from reaching her ears.

1555.
Soon thereafter, only a week later, two peasants were at her door.
They spun her a tale of her husband’s exploits and sought a reward.
Ablaze with anger, ever the Lady of the Manor, she roared,
“My husband is not like other men! I loathe people who invent tales
Meant to sow seeds of discontent into this house! You provoke me!

1560.
Loathsome lies from loathsome rumourmongers!!”
Swiftly and surely she demonstrated her power,
Ordering one to be slapped and the other have their teeth shattered.
A horrified silence now settled in throughout her household.
No one dared again to ever mention Thuc’s reckless indiscretion.

1565.
Spending her days in her pink room, she maintained her denial,
Laughing and talking as though her home was in harmony.
But, deep within her bosom, night and day, she seethed.
When Thuc eventually returned she greeted him warmly,
And they spoke to each other as though nothing had changed.

1570.
Their love became warmer, and their pursuit of lust, ardent.
They drank gleefully the cups of wine celebrating his return,
But still, the secrets were hidden in their hearts, one from the other.
Thuc tried to discover his wife’s knowledge and temperament,
Seeking to know before he made a full confession.

1575.
But whenever she laughed or talked, whether sober or drunk,
She held tightly to the secret she kept, that she knew of his secret.
Considering his options, he mused “I could keep my mouth shut…
Why be foolish and confess when there is no one questioning..?”
He hesitated here, nearly confessing, but he didn’t.