點清油

《點清油》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

清油半盞點着幾條条心？君呀，你心事咁多時，呌我點樣子去尋？睇你心頭咁猛亦都唔禁浸，你試睇吓個盞清油尚有幾深。恐怕越浸越乾油重越緊，點似得心少油多漫漫斟。你唔怕我（口譛），莫學無人恨！你重要剔起心頭正好做人！

Burn pure oil

Half a lamp-bowl of pure oil, how many wicks will it light?
My lord, your heart has so many changing seasons; tell me, how can I go in its quest?
I see your heart is fiery: there is not oil enough to submerge the wick.
Make trial and see what depth of pure oil is in yonder lamp-bowl.
Yet I fear, the more submerged, the drier the wick will be: while the oil grows all the less.
Would it were as if on the short wick more oil might be poured drop by drop!
Fear not my censure!
Be not like those graceless churls!
But, even as the lamp-wick is turned upwards, so do you take heart and play the man!

還花債

《還花債》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

想必緣分已盡，定是花債還齊。債還綠盡惹起我別慘離悽。我地兩個人咁情癡，再不估情不到底。想起吓從前個種風月，好似夢斷魂迷。起首共你相交，你妹年紀尚細。共你細談心曲怕聽水上鳴雞，只估話日子咁長你同妹設計。點想你夫妻情重帶不得賤妾回歸，累得我斷梗飄蓬無所倚繫。細想吓飄流無定只著要搵的挨棲，今日人地講我地薄情唔係都似係。總係同羣咁多姊妹點曉我心事咁難為？我身上着呢件靑衫都是凴眼淚洗，唔係計。君呀，你是必硬着心腸唔多願睇。故此自從聽見話我去咯，此後扌总扌总唔嚟。

Payment of flower-debts

Methinks that my doom is already fulfilled, or maybe my flower-debts are paid off.
Debts paid and doom fulfilled alike stir in me anguish of parting and sorrow of farewell.
When we two were so impassioned, could I have thought our love would not endure to the end?
As I muse on that bygone phase of frolic in wind and moon, my dream seems broken and my soul entranced.
When first we were united, your handmaid was yet young in years.
(The while my converse discloses to you the folds of my heart, I dread hearing the cock crow over the water.)
I did but think that, since our time was so long, we should devise a plan together.
How could I know that, because of the deep love between you and your wife, you would not escort home your lowly concubine?
You have hurt me till like the split elm, wind-riven, I can trust no ligature.
Little by little I bethink me that I drift aimlessly, therefore must I find a resting-place.
To-day men call us light of love, ‘Tis false: yet it seems truth:
For among so large a sisterhood, who can know how my heart’s love is crossed?
On my body I wear this green garment, washing it ever with mine own tears.
Alas! ‘twas not so planned.
My lord, you have hardened your heart: you are loth to look at me.
For this cause, since the day when I heard you say ‘I go’ – you never, never have returned.

梳髻

《梳髻》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

頭路撥開梳過一隻髻，等佢知頭知路早日開嚟，髻心須要侵頭髲，把定心頭怕乜是非？札住髻根聯住髻尾，我重要跟郞到尾正有的心機。花管帶花通到髻底，等我花債還通管得你帶我去歸。重要花伴髻髮邊藏住月桂，正係月老與及花神都重保知我地兩個白髮齊。

Coiffure

I comb a parting in my hair and coif the set tresses –
Sign that he parts all troubles and is set to come hither betimes.
In the centre of my head-dress I must braid in the peruke:
If I concentrate my heart, why should I fear slander?
I bind the hair near the head and plait the ringlets at the end:
For to the end I must follow my lord e’er I attain my desire.
The flower-stylet with the flowers must be pressed through below the coif:
In such style will I thoroughly pay off my flower-debts and press you to take me home.
Withal, the flowers must match the head-dress and the moon-cinnamon be fastened in the curis on either side:
Then will the old man in the moon and the flower-king protect us both, and keep us knit close as eyebrows, though our hair grow white with age.

聽烏啼

《聽烏啼》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

斷腸人怕烏啼，啼成咁辛苦想必為借一枝棲。邊一個唔想望高飛？大抵唔係乜易擠。况且你滿身毛羽尚未生齊。鵲呀，做乜你凈係替人地塡橋摠唔曉得自己屓𠫍（音閉翳），兩頭頻撲你嚊揾的挨依。今日風露咁清涼林木咁阻滯，須要早計莫話烏頭轉白正知到世事難為。

Hark the crows’cawing!

Whoso is broken-hearted, dreads to hear the cawing of the crows.
They caw so crossly: methinks, it is indeed because they would gain a branch to perch upon.
Who does not hope to soar aloft? Yet after all it is not over easy:
Aye, and the feathers upon your body are not yet fully fledged.
O crow! Why dost thou but fashion a bridge for other men to cross, yet knowest not thy own mischance?
Both sides are all a-flutter, you should indeed find a resting-place.
To-day wind and dew are fresh and cool: but the forest-jungle so thwarts your way,
That you needs must take thought betimes.
Wait not till your raven hair turns white, e’er you learn that the world’s way is hard.

對孤燈

《對孤燈》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

斷腸人怕對孤燈，對影孤寒想吓就斷魂，呢陣衿枕咁孤單無乜倚凭。影呀，你無言無語呌我苦對誰伸？雖則共你成雙亦難慰得我恨，不若把杯同影共作三人。愛只愛你生死不離咁跟得我緊，就係天涯海角你我都難分。君呀，大抵呢陣銀燈獨對心相印，恨只恨我隻影難隨共你酌斟，願你對影暫將魂魄認。唉！心不忿，夢寐難親近，當作挑燈長見，我切勿對影傷神。

The lonely lamp

Whoso is broken-hearted dreads vigil by the lonely lamp.
As musingly I watch my shadow, lonely and cold, my spirit breaks within me.
Now that my coverlet and my pillow are so lorn: I have naught whereon I can rely.
O shadow, voiceless and wordless! To whom wouldst thou have me vent my sorrow?
Though thou, O shadow! An I make two together, yet that is poor comfort for my grief.
I were better grasp a cup, that thus with my shadow we may be three.
I love thee, I love thee, shadow! Because thou quittest me neither in life nor death, so close is thy companionship.
Even at heaven’s verge and ocean’s corners, thou and I would find it hard to part.
My lord, maybe though now in loneliness I watch the silver lamp, yet our hearts have each the imprint of the other.
I grieve, I do not grieve that I cannot despatch my shadow to consult with you.
I were fain you could meet my shadow and for a while recognize therein my soul.
Ah! My heart is ill-content.
Whether in dream or sleep it is hard to approach thee.
I will feign that I see the lamp-snuff – omen that we shall ever be in each other’s slight. I must not face my shadow as if wounded in spirit.

相思病

《相思病》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

乜你咁病！見你面帶青黃！相思唔咕會入到膏盲。我想天地俾我一段情緣就係同我寫一幅病狀。既係與君同病藥亦同嘗。郞呀藥咁難嘗到底你嘗見點樣。今日苦上心頭淨我共你兩個慘傷。我兩個大早就死心病重還有乜指望。眼前無路苦海茫茫。如果死後共我結得再世姻緣我就把菩薩供養。又怕我六根唔凈到不得西方。世事講到來生亦都係妄想。無乜倚向，青樓就係地獄咯重講乜地久天長。

Love-sickness

Why are you so ailing? I see your face shows wan and sallow.
Love, e’er you look for it, can penetrate heart and vitals.
Methinks that heaven and earth gave me a love-fraught destiny, therefore might they certify to my ailment.
Since my disease is like yours, my lord! I must taste of medicines such as yours.
O lover mine! Physics taste so evilly, and when tasted, what is their effect?
To-day bitterness climbs into my heart’s thoughts, for that we two only are in anguish of pain:
Full early our love was death-set: what hope is there for our sore malady?
No path opens before our eyes. Wide, wide is the sea of bitterness!
Could but your fate after death be wed to mine, then would I pay reverent cult to Buddhist idols.
I fear the six channels of my senses are impure: therefore I cannot reach Sukhavati.
In mortal things the mention of the life to come is altogether vanity.
I have naught whereon I may rely.
The green bowers of vice are to me as hell. Why prate of earth’s age and heaven’s longevity?

相思纜

《相思纜》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

相思纜，帶我郎來。帶得郎來莫個又替我靚開！是必纜係心緒絞成故此牽得咁耐，逢人解纜我就自見痴呆。纜呀，你送別個陣可憎，回轉個陣可愛，总係兩頭牽扯，唔知幾時正得埋堆。我心事一条交你手內，可恨你時時要斬纜敢樣就亂我心懷。我想誓使乜定要對住個山盟？使乜定要對住個海？总要心莫改。若係唔同心事，纜都絞你唔埋。

A rope of love-thoughts

O rope of love-thoughts, draw hither my gallant!
Canst thou but draw him hither, then for my sake do not cast him loose.
Certes the rope-strands are twisted together of heart-fibre, therefore they can bear the strain so long.
If I meet a man who cuts me adrift, then I feel myself befooled.
O rope! Hateful art thou when thou dost drag us apart: love-worthy, when thou drawst us back together.
Yet, since we are tugged at from either side, I know not when we may be united.
All my heart’s love I have entrusted to your keeping:
‘Tis pity, then, that time on time you cut the rope, stirring riot in my heart and bossom.
Would I swear an oath, why need I adjure the mountain? Would I make a covenant, why need I adjure the sea?
It is the heart which must not change.
But if our hearts trend diversely, then even a rope will not unite us.

桃花扇

《桃花扇》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

「桃花扇，寫首斷腸詞，寫到情深扇都會慘悽。命冇薄得過桃花，情冇薄得過紙。紙上桃花，薄更可知。君呀，你既寫花容，先要曉得花的意思。青春難得，莫誤花時。我想絕世風流都冇乜好持。秋風團扇，怨在深閏。寫出萬葉千花，都為情一個字。唔係你睇侯公子李香君，唔係情重，點得遇合佳期。」

The peach-blossom fan

The peach-blossom fan has written upon it a poem of heart-breaking verse.
If you write of deep passion, the fan will be but a source of anguish.
No fate is more frail than the peach-blossom, no passion more frail than paper:
Wherefore you readily may know that peach-blossom painted on paper is more fragile still.
My lord, since you depict flower-faces, you first should understand the thoughts of flowers:
The green spring is hard to gain! Spoil not the flower-season.
Methinkgs that joyance, if unattainable in this world, is not greatly to be trusted.
The round fans of autumn bring their dirge into the sequestered bower,
Where maidens paint thereon then thousand leaves and a thousand flowers, all for the sake of the one word ‘passion’:
You doubt it? Then behold the loves of the poets Hau and Lei Hong-kwan: had not their passion been deep, how could they have reached the halcyon days?

船頭浪

《船頭浪》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

船頭浪，合吓又分開，相思如水湧上心來。君呀，你生在情天奴長在慾海，碧天連水水與天挨，我地紅粉點似得青山長冇變改。你睇吓水面個的殘花事就可哀。似水流年又唔知流得幾耐。須要自愛！許你死後做到成佛成仙亦未必直正自在。罷咯，不若及時行樂共你倚遍月榭風臺。

The waves at the prow

As waves at the ship’s prow meet and part asunder,
Love like water comes welling up o’er my heart.
My lord, you were born in the sky of passion, your handmaid was nurtured in the sea of lust.
Thus the amber sky meets with the water, yea, water and sky are met together.
We toys of rouge and powder, how can we be unchanging as are the green hills?
Look at yon cankered flowers on the face of the water: then you may pity our plight.
The years flow past like a river: I know not how long they will flow.
Needs must a man love his own self.
Though after death you were canonized a Buddha or a saint, I doubt if you will truly rest in peace.
Aye! ‘twere better to cull pleasure as chance offers, and dwell with you in the Hall of the Moon and the Tower of the Winds.

結絲蘿

《結絲蘿》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

「清水燈心煲白果，果然清白怕乜你心多。白紙共薄荷包俾過我，薄情如紙你話奈乜誰何。圓眼沙梨包幾個，眼底共你離開暫且放疏。絲綫共花針，你話點穿得眼過。真正係錯，總要同針合綫正結得絲蘿。」

Knit the silk net

Brew together pure water, the hart’s-tongue, and the white-wort.
Since I am pure and white, why should I fear your heart’s love?
Wrap in tissue the passion-flower and the peppermint: give them to me!
Though your passion be thin as tissue, whom can it hurt?
Wrap together eye-fruit and pears!
Symbol that I shall forthwith lose you from before my eyes, and that the pair of us must be parted for a while.
How (say you) can silk thread pass through the eye of the flower-needle?
Truly ‘tis amiss.
The thread must fit the needle, e’er the silk net can be knitted.

吹不斷

《吹不斷》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

吹不斷，是情絲。情絲牽住割亦難離。牽到入心箇陣就無乜主意，魂魄唔全只剩一點癡。若係兩箇情痴就俾佢痴到死。死亦心甜不枉做故知。鬼怕一箇情痴一箇唔多在意。單思成病藥亦難醫。箇陣你肯為倠佢捨身佢亦唔多謝到你。唉！真正冇味。寔在話過你聽咯你要死亦訪到情真死都未遲。

Unbroken by the blast

Unbroken by the blast are passion’s fibres.
The fibres of passion cling closely: even if cut, they are hard to sever:
When they are twined about the heart, then men are not masters of their own thoughts.
The soul is not integral: all that remains of it is a shred of frenzied passion.
If the love of both man and maid be frenzied, then, though their frenzy be death-set,
Even in death their hearts will find sweetness: for ‘twas not in vain that they were long acquainted.
But I sorely fear lest one lover be impassioned, while the other reck little thereof.
When love ends in malady, medicine can scarce heal it.
Then, though you be willing to die for his sake, he will give you small thanks.
Ah! Truly it savours ill.
Sooth I say: if you would die for him, test first passion’s truth: even thereafter it will be none too late.

身只一箇

《身只一箇》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

身只一箇，呌我點順得兩個情哥？一頭歡喜一便把我消磨。佢兩箇晚晚開來偏偏要呌我，捨得一人一晚免使我咁囉嗦。削性共佢一箇好埋，等佢尋過別箇。又怕箇瘟尸唔好得到底，唎我就苦怨當初。又怕佢箇薄情唔忿得我，箇的旁人唉攪是非多。唉！點得我心破得做兩邊人變得做兩箇？呢會唔使動火，但得佢二家唔食醋咯，重好過密餞波羅。

The body is but one

My body is but one. Tell me, how can I favour two lovers?
On one side is pleasure, but on the other torment.
Both my suitors come hither night by night. Will I, nill I, they bid me to their board.
Were it one man one night, I should not be so teased.
In mine own despite I comply with the one, till such time as he goes in quest of another.
I fear this plaguy knave will dupe me at the last, then bitterly shall I regret the outset.
Also I fear that yon other truant will bear me a grudge.
Bystanders have set overmany ill reports afoot.
Ah! Would my heart could split in two and my womanhood be double!
This once you need not flare up in anger.
Could I but dissuade both lovers from wrangling with their mistress, it were sweeter to me than pine-apple preserved in sugar.

嗟怨命少

《嗟怨命少》

招子庸作，金文泰譯

嗟怨命少，恨我帶不得幾多條。人人都係咁攞命，呌我點樣得把佢來丟？捨得我有命每箇俾佢一條，無乜緊要，無奈呢一條爛命好費事正剩到今朝。箇的多情為我喪命我亦填唔了，佢死亦見心甜都算得我命裡所招。我想貪花喪命都係因年少，究竟風流到底正算得係老來嬌。你睇牛女歲歲都有相逢，大抵佢年紀亦不小。唉！心共照。七夕同歡笑，總係長命又要長情正可以渡得鵲橋。

A lament for life’s brevity

I lament life’s brevity; I grieve that I cannot live more lives than one.
All men are right eager to take away my life; but tell me, how can I throw my life away?
Had I the lives to give, then I might bestow one on each lover, and reck little thereof.
Help there is none! Only with great pains have I preserved till this morning a single, tattered thread of life.
I cannot replace those impassioned ones who lost their lives for love of me.
Methinks, it was the finger of my fate which led them to find heart’s sweetness even in death.
I trow that to lose life in lust of flowers is the fault of youth-fullness.
In fine, human joyance must last to the end, e’er men can rival the red-beet which grows more beautiful with age.
Lo! Taurus and Virgo meet year by year; belike their tale of years is not short.
Ah! Their hearts are mirrors one of the other.
On the seventh night they are glad and laugh together.
Howbeit long life must tally with long love, e’er the Crows’ Bridge may be crossed.

唔怕命蹇

《唔怕命蹇》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

唔怕命蹇，縂要你心堅！捨得心堅，愁冇一箇月老哀憐？莫話命蹇時乖你就尋箇短見，半世冇一日開懷恐怕你做鬼亦冤。若係話刊定板八箇字生成，唔到你算。又未知到後來真定假，未必有個食飯神仙。大抵人事都要盡番或者時運會轉。唉！休要自怨！莫話好事難如願。若係堅心寧耐等，就係破鏡都會重圓。

Fear not Fate the miser!

Fear not Fate the miser; still be ye strong of heart!
If your heart be strong, why grieve that no spirit in the moon has pity on you?
Say not that fate is a miser and times are adverse, nor seek short shrift on that account.
Not once in half a life-time have you unburdened your bosom; I fear me your very ghost will be wan with grief.
If you say your horoscope was graven immutably at your birth, then ‘tis lost labour to have your fortune told.
Yet none know whether such augury be true or false; never yet was a saint without fasting.
In fine it behoves you to fulfil your destiny; maybe the luck will turn.
Ah! Cease repining for yourself.
Say not that good things scarce match your desire.
If with strong heart you wait patiently, the broken mirror will again perfect its orb.

點算好

《點算好》
招子庸作，金文泰譯

（一） 「點算好？共你相交又怕唔得到老，真情雖有，可惜實事全無。今世共你結下呢段姻緣待等來世正做，你為和尚我做齋姑。唔信你睇紅樓夢上有段鴛鴦譜，嗰個寶玉共佢無緣，所以黛玉得咁孤。佢臨死哭叫四個字，一聲唉，寶玉你好。真正無路可訴，離恨天難補。罷咯不若共你淡交如水，免至話我係薄情奴。」

（二） 「點算好，君呀你家貧親又老，八千條路咁就冇一點功勞。虧我流落呢處天涯，家信又不到。君歸南嶺，我苦住京都。長劍雖則有靈，今日未吐。新篁落籜，或者有日插天高。孫山名落朱顏槁。綠柳撩人重慘過利刀。金盡床頭清酒懶做。無物可報，珠淚穿成素。君呀，你去歸條路，替我帶得到家無。」

The dilemma

I
Why, here’s the rub? I fear that my companionship with you will not abide till old age comes.
Since, then, our passion is sincere, ‘tis pity it should lack utterly love’s consummation.
In this life have I knit with you the knot of wedded fate: but our union is delayed till the life to come;
Hence you are now an anchorite, and I a nun.
You doubt? Then behold! In the “Red Chamber Dream” a story of teal is told.
Since the youth Po-yuk’s fate was not wed with hers, therefore was Toi-yuk so lonely.
Thus, when she came to die, she cried with sobbing utterance: — “Po-yuk, thou art good!”
Truly I find no vent for my grief.
Heaven can scarce heal the sorrow of parting.
Yes! I were better seem insipid as water in my manner, lest you should scold me for a fickle jade.

II
Ay, here’s the rub! My lord, your family is poor and your parents so aged,
That, of eight thousand paths before you, not one can bring renown.
Therefore you jilt and leave me fallen at heaven’s verge, where no letter reaches me from home.
My lord is returned to Nam-leng, I live sorrily in the capital.
Be you bright as a long sword, still your brilliance has not yet left its sheath;
Howbeit the young bamboo, now leafless, may one day pierce the skies in height.
But if you fail of your degree, your face will fade colourless –
The green willow injures men more grievously than a sharp sword.
The gold stored ‘neath my pillow is all spent: I am loth to brew the sparking mead.
Naught had I send you,
Save that my pearl tears are threaded together as a rosary;
My lord! Upon your homeward way, will you not bear them with you for my sake?

愁到極地

《愁到極地》

招子庸作，金文泰譯

愁到極地，懶整殘粧，繡簾唔捲為怯風寒。你妹半減腰圍心都為你愴，你在何處貪戀風流總不返故鄉？就係唔念你妹呢處青樓，亦該思憶吓府上。就係妻兒唔掛，都要紀念吓爹娘。做乜身在天涯你心就異向？唉！何苦敢樣？君呀你莫聽人唆攪，你掉轉心腸。

Sorrow’s poignance

My sorrow is poignant: I am loth to trim my mean toilet.
The embroidered blinds are not rolled up, because I fear the wind is chill.
Your maiden’s waist is grown more slender by half: my heart also for your sake is disconsolate.
Whither go you in lust of joyance, that thus you shun your old home?
Though you heed not your handmaid, left here in the green bower, yet you should be mindful of your family.
Though you neglect wife or child, still it behoves you to remember father and mother.
Why, when in body you are away at heaven’s verge, does your heart follow a strange bent?
Ah! Why is it thus?
My lord, above all hearken not to those who would impel the mood of your heart to veer.

愁到冇解

《愁到冇解》
招子傭作，金文泰譯

愁到冇解，怨一句命蹇時乖。天呀！你敢樣子生奴你話點得一世理，鮮花豈有話唔思戴？總係命裡帶不得風流都係白白嘥，相思擔起等人買。逢人都呌我轉過柳巷花街，重勸我有價可沽無價亦可賣。還了舊債，好過隨街擺。免得相思無主冇日開懷。

Sorrow indelible

My sorrow is indelible: I lament that I am fallen on hapless fate and adverse times.
Heaven! Thus hast thou begotten thine handmaid; how sayest thou, can I gain lifelong union with my lover?
Thinkest thou I am not fain to wear fresh flowers in my hair?
Yet since my fate is fraught with no joyance, I should but waste the blossoms.
Lifting my burden of love-thoughts, I seek for a man to buy such wares.
All men I meet bid me turn down Willow Land and Flower Street;
Ever they counsel me to sell to him who offers a price aye, to sell even if no price be offered.
Payment of old debts!
‘Tis better than hawking myself about the streets.
Beware lest, your love being masterless, never a day should give your heart relief.

多情柳

《 多情柳》
招子傭作，金文泰譯

(凡一)
多情柳，贈俾薄情夫。夫呀，分離二字問你可憐無。一心只望你唔虧負，兩存恩愛水遠山高。點想共你無緣敢就分拆在半路。呢陣煙水雲山阻隔路途。做女箇陣點知離別得咁苦。唉！真正可惱。呢會衷情都係憑柳你代訴。故此咁遠致到得呢處離亭我亦不憚勞。

（凡二）
多情柳，淚眼雙雙。柳呀！做乜見人快活見我就淒涼？你種在灞橋就知到你係冤孽賬。送人歸去淨對住個對宿水鴛鴦。柳呀！你弱質咁難扶都係同我一樣。春風唔怕，怕捱到秋霜。今日形容咁枯槁似極無依傍。唉！唔好異向。到頭終有望。自古新荑還只望佢再發枯楊。

The love-lorn willow

(I)
The love-lorn willow I give as present to my light-loving lord.
Lord! Prithee, is the word ‘parting’ piteous or no?
With all my heart I do but hope you will not jilt me,
May we both preserve our love, wide as the water and high as the hills!
How could I think that, since my fate was not wed to yours, therefore we should thus be parted in mid-journey?
Now smoke and water, clouds and hills obstruct the highroad.
How could I know in girlhood’s day that parting was so bitter?
Ah! Truly it is irksome.
Now I rely on there, O willow, to tell my sad love’s story.
Wherefore, though ‘tis so far to reach this parting-stage, I shrink not from the trouble.

(II)
The love-lorn willow’s weeping eyes, are two, are two!
O willow-tree! Why at sight of other folk art thou merry, at sight of me art thou distressed?
Thou art planted at Pa Bridge: hence I know thou sufferest for a debt of sin.
Thou speedest men homewards: then in loneliness dost thou watch the teal which roost overnight upon the water.
O willow! Thy delicate frame is hard to support, even as is mine.
Thou fearest not the spring winds, but fearest the burden of autumn frost.
Today thine aspect is so withered, belike thou hast naught whereon to rely.
Ah! ‘tis not well to turn elsewhere.
When troubles come to a head, hope tarries to the last.
From of yore ‘tis sooth that new sprouts must burgeon, e’er hope of new life be given to the dry willow-tree.

情一箇字

《情一箇字》

招子庸作 金文泰譯

情一箇字，重慘過砒礵，做乜無情白事斷人腸。搔首問天！天呀，你又唔好敢樣。命薄如花總不為我主張，怨只怨一生錯作有情故此多呢種孽賬。當初何不俾我鐵石心腸？你睇頑石重有望夫留在世上，須要自想，任你魄散魂飄蕩，總係邊一箇多情就向邊一箇抵償。

Passion

The one word ‘passion’ is more malignant than arsenic;
But why, in lack of passion and without a cause, are men’s hearts broken?
I scratch my head and ask heaven – ‘Heaven! ‘tis not well for thee so to act?
My fate is frail as flower; and wilt thou not be my guardian.
I grieve, I do but grieve, that my life has erred in love; wherefore I have overmany such debts.
Why did not heaven give me an iron purpose at the first?
Look you! The wife changed into brute stone still gazes in hope that her husband sojourns in the land of the living.
Needs must I bethink me;
Though spirit be shattered and soul distraught,
Yet whoso loveth much, to her such love is recompensed.

銷魂柳

《銷魂柳》

招子傭作，金文泰譯

銷魂柳，黯牽衣。柳呀，既曉得牽情又點捨得別離。東風一夜人千里，暮雲春樹樹惹妹相思，關山迢遞你妹書難寄，總要情同金石永不更移。莫話呢吓握手長情歇吓分手就負義。須記限關贈君一枝，你妹自小失身一日竹火日。唉情一箇字！君呀，你唔念于今都要念吓舊時。

The soul-melting willow

The willow, that melts souls in sorrow, plucks darkly at my garment.
O Willow! Since thus thou canst evoke passion, how canst thou suffer men to part?
The east wine has blown for a night: my love is a thousand miles away.
The evening clouds and vernal trees tinge my thoughts with love.
Barrier and hills are so distant, your handmaid can scarce post her letters;
Yet should your heart be unchanging as gold or rock, eternally immutable.
Say not that for the nonce, while hands are clasped, passion will endure: but that in a while, when hands unclasp, virtue will be flouted.
Remember how at Yong Kwan I gave my lord the willow-twig.
‘Tis mainly for your sake that since youth I have lost my maidenhood.
Alas for the word ‘passion’!
My lord, you heed not the present; yet should you remember the olden time.