洛陽女兒行 A Song of a Girl from Loyang

王維 Wang Wei

洛 阳 女 儿 对 门 居 ，
There's a girl from Loyang in the door across the street,
纔 可 容 颜 十 五 余 ；
She looks fifteen, she may be a little older.
良 人 玉 勒 乘 骢 马 ，
...While her master rides his rapid horse with jade bit an bridle,
侍 女 金 盘 脍 鲤 鱼 。
Her handmaid brings her cod-fish in a golden plate.
画 阁 朱 楼 尽 相 望 ，
On her painted pavilions, facing red towers,
红 桃 绿 柳 垂 簷 向 。
Cornices are pink and green with peach-bloom and with willow,
罗 帷 送 上 七 香 车 ，
Canopies of silk awn her seven-scented chair,
宝 扇 迎 归 九 华 帐 。
And rare fans shade her, home to her nine-flowered curtains.
狂 夫 富 贵 在 青 春 ，
Her lord, with rank and wealth and in the bud of life,
意 气 骄 奢 剧 季 伦 。
Exceeds in munificence the richest men of old.
自 怜 碧 玉 亲 教 舞 ，
He favours this girl of lowly birth, he has her taught to dance;
不 惜 珊 瑚 持 与 人 。
And he gives away his coral-trees to almost anyone.
春 窗 曙 灭 九 微 火 ，
The wind of dawn just stirs when his nine soft lights go out,
九 微 片 片 飞 花 璅 。
Those nine soft lights like petals in a flying chain of flowers.
戏 罢 曾 无 理 曲 时 ，
Between dances she has barely time for singing over the songs;
妆 成 祇 是 薰 香 坐 。
No sooner is she dressed again than incense burns before her.
城 中 相 识 尽 繁 华 ，
Those she knows in town are only the rich and the lavish,
日 夜 经 过 赵 李 家 。
And day and night she is visiting the hosts of the gayest mansions.
谁 怜 越 女 颜 如 玉 ？
...Who notices the girl from Yue with a face of white jade,
贫 贱 江 头 自 浣 纱 。
Humble, poor, alone, by the river, washing silk?

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