Truyện Kiều - Nguyễn Du
Do Hương Cau Cao Tân dịch-thuật và biên soạn

The Story of Kiều by Nguyễn Du
Translated and compiled by Hương Cau Cao Tân 21082020

(Kiều thề nguyền với Kim Trọng)

363. Từ phen đá biết tuổi vàng,
Tình càng thấm thía dạ càng ngẩn ngơ.

365. Sông Tương một dải nông sờ,
Bên trông đầu nọ bên chờ cuối kia.
367. Một tường tuyết ủm sương che,
Tin xuân đâu dễ đi về cho năng.

369. Lần lần ngày gió đêm trăng,
Thưa hồng rậm lục đã chừng xuân qua.
371. Ngày vừa sinh nhật ngoại gia,
Trên hai đường dưới nữa là hai em,

373. Tưng bừng sắm sửa áo xiêm,
Cần dưng một lễ quỳ đem tấc thành.
375. Nhà lan thanh vắng một mình,
Ngẫm cơ hội ngộ đã rành hôm nay.

377. Thời trân thức thức sẵn bày,
Gót sen thoăn thoắt dạo ngay mé tường.
379. Cách hoa sẽ dặng tiếng vàng,
Dưới hoa đã thấy có chàng đứng trông :

381. Trách lòng hờ hững với lòng,
Lửa hương chốc để lạnh lùng bấy lâu.
383. Những là đắp nhớ đổi sầu,
Tuyết sương nhuốm nửa mái đầu hoa râm.

385. Nàng rằng : "Gió bắt mưa cầm,
Đã cam tệ với tri âm bấy chầy.
387. Vắng nhà được buổi hôm nay,
Lấy lòng gọi chút ra đây tạ lòng !"

389. Lần theo núi giả đi vòng,
Cuối tường dường có nẻo thông mới rào.
391. Xắn tay mở khóa động đào,
Rẽ mây trông tỏ lối vào Thiên-thai.
 

(Kiều made a vow with Kim Trọng)

363. Since the day they fully knew and appreciated each other,
Love became more penetrating, hearts yearned more for one another.

365. Long and shallow were the conditions of the Tương River,
One was expecting at one end, the other was waiting at the other.
367. Only a wall separating, yet it was like being hidden by snow and dew
Which prevented the flow of communication, there was little news.

369. Gradually, after cooling off in daytime, moon viewing at night time,
There were fewer flowers, denser leaves, spring was passing by.
371. Then came the event of Kiều’s grandparents’ birthday celebration
Her parents together with her two siblings were all in preparation.

373. They were busy choosing and selecting clothes in fashion,
Showing gratitude, they would be bringing hearty presents.
375. Kiều was alone at home because everybody were away,
She told herself that this was the good chance, this was the day.

377. Preparing decoyed festive foods on tables at home just in case,
She then hastily walked alongside the wall right away.
379. Separated by flower bushes, she coughed, signaling him to come,
Waiting under the tree was he who had already come.

381. He reproached her for her behaviour had been indifferent,
For not having rekindled in a while the fiery fire of passion.
383. So after the missing-upon-missing and sorrow-upon-sorrow time,
Snow had set in and half of his hair had miserably turned white.

385. She smiled: "Being caught by the winds and restrained by the rains,
I have no choice but suffering being bad with my soulmate friend.
387. By a lucky chance I am home today all by myself,
So I have heartily come here to make it up, hoping that all is well!"

389. Then she walked around the rock garden behind a mountain,
At end of wall there was an opening under recent reparation.
391. Rolling up her sleeves, she broke through the barricade,
She separated the bushes and looked: Heaven’s way was in wait.

397. Trên yên bút giá thi đồng,
Đạm thanh một bức tranh tùng treo trên.
399. Phong sương được vẻ thiên nhiên,
Mặn khen nét bút càng nhìn càng tươi.

401. Sinh rằng : "Phác họa vừa rồi,
Phẩm đề xin một vài lời thêm hoa."
403. Tay tiên gió táp mưa sa,
Khoảng trên dừng bút thảo và bốn câu.

405. Khen : "Tài nhả ngọc phun châu,
Nàng Ban ả Tạ cũng đâu thế này !
407. Kiếp tu xưa ví chưa dày,
Phúc nào nhắc được giá này cho ngang ?"

409. Nàng rằng :  "Trộm liếc dung quang,
Chẳng sân bội ngọc cũng phường kim môn.
411. Nghĩ mình phận mỏng cánh chuồn,
Khuôn xanh biết có vuông tròn mà hay ?

413. Nhớ từ năm hãy thơ ngây,
Có người tướng sĩ đoán ngay một lời :
415. "Anh hoa phát tiết ra ngoài,
Nghìn thu bạc mệnh một đời tài hoa."

417. Trông người lại ngẫm đến ta,
Một dầy một mỏng biết là có nên ?"
419. Sinh rằng : "Giải cấu là duyên,
Xưa nay nhân định thắng nhiên cũng nhiều.

421. Ví dù giải kết đến điều,
Thì đem vàng đá mà liều với thân !
423. Đủ điều trung khúc ân cần,
Lòng xuân phơi phới chén xuân tàng tàng.

393. Their faces were fresher and brighter as they looked at each other,
One was wishing the other blessings, the other, health was better.
395. They then walked to his study hall’s veranda shoulder to shoulder,
Engaging in weather talks and reminding of their vows of forever.

397. On a table there were poem tubes and pen holders in standing,
Above them there were pine trees in a simple ink drawing.
399. Skillfully drawn, it showed an ancient weather-beaten tree,
She commented that "The more you look at, the better a beauty it is."

401. Kim said: "I have just completed the drawing recently,
Please add a poem as to present beautiful flowers to a beauty."
403. Her ivory hand danced like winds in rushing, like rains in torrents
In the middle of the drawing there appeared a three-word stanza poem.

405. He commended: "With such compositions and such talents,
Misses Ban and Tạ, the ancient elites, would be same in comparison!
407. If I have not accumulated enough merit in my previous life,
Then how could I have such a match for me that is so fine?"

409. Kiều replied: "I have briefly captured your countenance in a glance,
Your face foretells a famous mandarin or a man of literal fame.
411. On reflection, I think my merits are as thin as a dragonfly’s wings
I wonder, would Heaven allow me a happy fate, would it bring?

413. I remember when I was still at the age of naivety,
A physiognomist was prophesying on me with absolute certainty:
415. ‘This girl has the quintessence that are outwardly exposing totally,
An unlucky fate forever, yet a life with exquisite talents is in misery.’

417. Having seen your bright countenance, thinking about myself,
Your merits are abundant; mine little, would they be matching well?"
419. Kim said: "We have met each other incidentally; it must be by destiny,
There are times man disposes of what has been proposed heavenly.

421. If anything happens, we need to be steadfast and try to do things right,
Even at times when we have to risk our lives to make things all right!"
423. They talked and confided in each other thoughtfully,
They felt like spring time, and drank until they became tipsy.

(Kiều thề nguyền với Kim Trọng)

425. Ngày vui ngắn chẳng đầy gang,
Trông ra ác đã ngậm gương non đoài.
427. Vắng nhà chẳng tiện ngồi dai,
Giã chàng nàng mới kíp dời song sa.

429. Đến nhà vừa thấy tin nhà,
Hai thân còn dở tiệc hoa chưa về.
431. Cửa ngoài vội rũ rèm the,
Xăm xăm băng lối vườn khuya một mình.

433. Nhặt thưa gương giọi đầu cành,
Ngọn đèn trông lọt trướng huỳnh hắt hiu.
435. Sinh vừa tựa án thiu thiu,
Dở chiều như tỉnh dở chiều như mê.

437. Tiếng sen sẽ động giấc hòe,
Bóng trăng đã xế hoa lê lại gần.
439. Bâng khuâng đỉnh Giáp non Thần,
Còn ngờ giấc mộng đêm xuân mơ màng.

441. Nàng rằng : "Khoảng vắng đêm trường,
Vì hoa nên phải đánh đường tìm hoa.
443. Bây giờ rõ mặt đôi ta,
Biết đâu rồi nữa chẳng là chiêm bao ?"

445. Vội mừng làm lễ rước vào,
Đài sen nối sáp song đào thêm hương.
447. Tiên thề cùng thảo một trương,
Tóc mây một món dao vàng chia đôi.

449. Vầng trăng vằng vặc giữa trời,
Đinh ninh hai mặt một lời song song.
451. Tóc tơ căn vặn tấc lòng,
Trăm năm tạc một chữ đồng đến xương.

(Kiều made a vow with Kim Trọng)

425. Oh, good times were passing by so quickly, good times they had,
When they looked, there on the mountain the sun had almost set.
427. Kiều thought that her lingering about was out of convenience,
She stood up and bid him goodbye for home at that instant.

429. On returning home, she was then updated on the latest news,
That her parents had not returned, as they were at the party still.
431. She dropped the thin screens down at the outer door hastily,
Crossed the dark yard by herself and headed towards his house swiftly.

433. The moon was shining on tree branches and leaves so unevenly,
His lamp was seen shining through the window flickering so lonely.
435. Kim was leaning on the study table and dozing off away,
In a state that was half being alert, half being dazed.

437. Sounds of Kiều’s footsteps lightly awoke him from his slumber,
He thought she was floating by, riding the moonbeam over.
439. He wondered like Sở King seeing Vu Goddess at Mount Giáp meeting,
Not being certain if it was only a spring dream that he was dreaming.

441. Kiều said: "Though it is deserted and the night is getting darker,
Being concerned for flower, hence the search for you, my flower.
443. Even now when we still can see each other face-to-face clearly,
Who knows if it may turn out to be just a dream only?"

445. Totally waken up, he happily bowed and cordially received her,
New candle added to lotus candle holder, agarwood to incense burner.
447. They then prepared some paper to write the vowing statement,
And she cut some hair, each of them kept half of the portion.

449. The moon was shining brightly in the middle of the sky
This served as a witness to their ceremony of vowing in the night.
451. The vowing examined minutely deepest feelings of each heart,
They swore that they would be together and forever keep their parts.