双语诗歌翻译|曾瑞·《山坡羊·叹世（一）》

曾瑞（生卒年不详）， 元代散曲作家。字瑞卿，自号褐夫。大兴（今北京市大兴区）人。因喜江浙人才风物而移家南方。《录鬼簿》记他“临终之日，诣门吊者以千数”，可知他当时已有盛名。由于志不屈物，不解趋附奉承，所以终身不仕，优游市井，赖江淮一带熟人馈赠为生。善绘画，能作隐语小曲，散曲集有《诗酒馀音》行于当世，今佚。

曾瑞·《山坡羊·叹世（一）》

鸡鸣为得，

鸦栖收计，

几曾得觉囫囵睡？

使心计，

昧神祗，

区区造下弥天罪，

富贵一场春梦里。

财，

沤泛水；

人，

泉下鬼。

Lamenting the Times (1)

to the tune of Sheep on the Hillside

Ceng Rui

Profit-making begins at a cock’s crow

And ends as ravens back to their nests go.

When do we have enough time to sleep?

We against others plotting keep,

Profane gods and the sublime,

How monstrous is our crime!

Rand and wealth is but a spring dream.

Money—

bubbles in waters;

Men—

forever dammed in hellish quarters.