kieu-in-english-poetry-camera-ready-1.pdfENGLISH
1 Trăm năm trong cõi người ta,
Chữ tài chữ mệnh khéo là ghét nhau. Trải qua một cuộc bể dâu,
Những điều trông thấy mà đau đớn lòng.
5 Lạ gì bỉ sắc tư phong,
Trời xanh quen thói má hồng đánh ghen. Cảo thơm lần giở trước đèn,
Phong tình cổ lục còn truyền sử xanh. Rằng năm Gia Tĩnh triều Minh,
10 Bốn phương phẳng lặng, hai kinh vững vàng. Có nhà viên ngoại họ Vương,
Gia tư nghỉ cũng thường thường bực trung. Một trai con thứ rốt lòng,
Vương Quan là chữ, nối dòng nho gia.
15 Đầu lòng hai ả tố nga,
Thúy Kiều là chị, em là Thúy Vân.
Mai cốt cách, tuyết tinh thần,
Một người một vẻ, mười phân vẹn mười. Vân xem trang trọng khác vời,
20 Khuôn trăng đầy đặn, nét ngài nở nang. Hoa cười ngọc thốt đoan trang,
Mây thua nước tóc, tuyết nhường màu da. Kiều càng sắc sảo, mặn mà,
So bề tài, sắc, lại là phần hơn. 25 Làn thu thủy, nét xuân sơn,
Hoa ghen thua thắm, liễu hờn kém xanh.
Một, hai nghiêng nước nghiêng thành, Sắc đành đòi một, tài đành họa hai. Thông minh vốn sẵn tính trời,
30 Pha nghề thi họa, đủ mùi ca ngâm. Cung thương làu bậc ngũ âm,
Nghề riêng ăn đứt Hồ cầm một trương. Khúc nhà tay lựa nên chương,
Một thiên bạc mệnh, lại càng não nhân.
35 Phong lưu rất mực hồng quần, Xuân xanh sấp xỉ tới tuần cập kê
Êm đềm trướng rủ màn che,
Tường đông ong bướm đi về mặc ai.
i NNA
In one hundred years, the limit of human life,
Without mercy, talent and destiny1 clash and fight.
The blue sea is now thundering where mulberry field2 used to be; Our hearts suffer painfully from the vicissitudes we see.
A gift is always received to the detriment of one’s destiny; With jealousy, Blue Heaven often hounds the fate of beauties. Fragrant manuscripts thumbed under the lamp slowly
Reveal an ancient love story as recorded in history.
Under the reign of Gia Tinh Emperor of the Ming Dynasty,3
The frontiers were calm and both capitals were secured firmly. There lived then a small bourgeois of the Vuong family, Whose wealth was classified as average in the vicinity.
A son named Vuong Quan, the last born child,
Was supposed to continue the family’s scholarly line.
Born before him were two girls of exceptional beauty and mind. Thuy Kieu was the elder and Thuy Van came after her.
They were elegantly slender and their spirits had snow candor. Each had her own charm but both were enchanting stunners. Van commanded an uncommon dignity,
Her harmonious face with delicate bold eyebrows radiated generosity. Her decency was enhanced by her voice of jade and her smile of flower, Snow yielded to her complexion and clouds to her hair splendor.
Kieu’s charm turned out to be more sapid and exquisite. She definitely was the better in both beauty and spirit.
Her bewitching eyes were autumnal water limpid,
And her eyebrows were gracious lines of mounts in Spring. Flowers were jealous of her beauty so captivating,
And willows envied her hair so rich cascading.
She could collapse citadel and empire by just a smile4
Her beauty and talents left ordinary girls miles behind.
Her superior intelligence was definitely Heaven’s blessing.
She mastered rapidly poetry, painting, and singing,
[And was well versed in the five- tone musical composing]i
And her virtuosity at the “Ho” guitar5 was second to none.
She wrote a song, “The Cruel Fate,” a masterpiece of her own.
One of the best persons in red pants6, sophisticated and noble,
The nubile age of young ladies, she approached.
Behind nice drapes and curtains, the sisters enjoyed virginal peace, Paying no heed to those bees and butterflies7 at the wall in the East.8
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