曹雪芹·《红楼梦》第一回诗二首英译

一

 

无才可去补苍天，枉入红尘若许年。

此系身前身后事，倩谁记去作奇传？

 

作者：曹雪芹

 

One

 

Found unfit to repair the azure sky

Long years a foolish mortal man was I.

My life in both worlds on this stone is writ:

Pray who will copy out and publish it?

 

Translated by David Hawkes

 

二

 

满纸荒唐言，一把辛酸泪。

都云作者痴，谁解其中味。

 

作者：曹雪芹

 

Two

 

Pages full of idle words

Penned with hot and bitter tears;

All men call the author fool;

None his secret message hears.

 

Translated by David Hawkes （大卫·霍克斯）

 

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