白居易长恨歌英文翻译(5)

　　梨园弟子白发新，椒房阿监青娥老。

　　夕殿萤飞思悄然，孤灯挑尽未成眠。

　　Ensemble musicians’ hair had been frosted not long earlier.Eunuchs and waiting maids who used to serve in the concubine’s palace were greatly aged.

　　Over the throne flew fire-flies while the Emperor brooded in the twilight.He still could not fall asleep even though the lonely lamp near by had run out of oil.

　　迟迟钟鼓初长夜，耿耿星河欲曙天。

　　鸳鸯瓦冷霜华重，翡翠衾寒谁与共。

　　Bells tolled and drums rolled before the dragging night hours.And the River of Stars grew sharp in the sky, just before dawn.

　　The mandarin-duck roof titles were covered with a thick blanket of frost in the cold.And the Emperor’s sumptuous quilt could not keep him warm, for there was no one he could sleep with.

　　悠悠生死别经年，魂魄不曾来入梦。

　　临邛道士鸿都客，能以精诚致魂魄。

　　The separation between life and death had kept them apart almost for one year,Yet no beloved spirit ever visited the Emperor’s dreams.

　　A Taoist priest from Lingqiong visited the capital,Who was able to summon spirits through his concentrated mind.

　　为感君王辗转思，遂教方士殷勤觅。

　　排空驭气奔如电，升天入地求之遍。

　　The priest was so moved by the Emperor’s lasting attachment for his lost concubineThat he besought other sorcerers to spare no efforts to help find her.

　　He mounted the clouds and rode the mist, flying as fast as lightning,And searching everywhere, up to heaven and down to earth.

　　上穷碧落下黄泉，两处茫茫皆不见。

　　忽闻海上有仙山，山在虚无缥渺间。