我非贪生而恶死,不能捐身兮心有以。
生仍冀得兮归桑梓,死当埋骨兮长已矣。
日居月诸兮在戎垒,胡人宠我兮有二子。
鞠之育之兮不羞耻,愍之念之兮生长边鄙。
十有一拍兮因兹起,哀响缠绵兮彻心髓。
译文摘自: 孙康宜 选编
Eighteen Songs of a Nomad
Flute
Cai
Yan
Song 11
I am not one who clings to life on account of a fear of
death,
But I could not do away with myself; my heart had its
reasons:
If I lived I could still hope to return to the land of mulberries
and catalpas,
But if I died my bones would be buried here, in the empty
plains.
Days and months I dwelt among the nomads,
My nomad husband was fond of me, and we had two sons.
I nurtured them, brought them up, I can feel no shame for
this.
I felt for them, pitied them, born in the far frontier.
My eleventh song has risen from this emotion,
Its sad harmonies entwine to penetrate heart and marrow.

