苏轼·《除夜大雪留潍州，元日早晴，遂行，中途，雪复作》英译

除夜雪相留，元日晴相送。 　　<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

东风吹宿酒，瘦马兀残梦。 　　

葱昽晓光开，旋转余花弄。 　　

下马成野酌，佳哉谁与共！ 　　

须臾晚云合，乱洒无缺空。 　　

鹅毛垂马骏，自怪骑白凤。 　　

三年东方旱，逃户连欹栋； 　　

老农释耒叹，泪入饥肠痛。 　　

春雪虽云晚，春麦犹可种。 　　

敢怨行役劳，助尔歌饭瓮。

 

Caught in Snow

Su Shi

 

Heavy snow on New Year’s Eve kept me at Weizhou. New Year’s Day dawned clear and I resumed my journey, only to run into snow again.

 

Snow detained me on New Year’s Eve,

Clear skies speed me on my way on New Year’s Day;

The east wind scatters the fumes of last night’s wine

As I jog along on my lean nag, half dreaming still

In the brilliant morning sunlight,

While a few last snowflakes whirl.

I dismount to drink in the open,

Lacking nothing now but someone to share my wine;

But at dusk clouds gather fast,

The whole air is thick with snow,

Flakes cling like goose feathers to my horse’s mane,

And I marvel to find myself riding a white phoenix.

Three years of drought in the east

Emptied cottage after cottage, whole households fled;

Old peasants cast aside their ploughs and sighed,

Swallowing tears which stung their famished guts.

The snow is late this spring,

But it is not too late to snow spring wheat;

Why complain, then, of the hardships of the journey?

Rather let me sing of your good harvest to come.