枉凝眉 （曹雪芹：红楼梦）
一个是阆苑鲜葩，一个是美玉无瑕
若说没奇缘，今生偏又遇着他；
若说有奇缘，如何心事终虚话？
一个枉自嗟呀，一个空劳牵挂
一个是水中月，一个是镜中花,
想眼中能有多少泪珠儿，
怎禁得秋流到冬，春流到夏！
(Ts’ao-Hsueh-Ch’in :《The dream of the Red Chamber》
Brows knit in vain
WANG Ningmei
(One of twelve ditties of Hung-lou-meng)
One was a fair flower and young in fairy garden;
Other a rare stainless jade.
And speaking of none of lot or luck on special bond
But into his favor the fortune must needs come.
And speaking of the fate on special bond,
But why into vision all weighing on mind finally run?
One in vain sighing for sorrow;
Other with costly caring carried on.
One the moon of the water;
Other a flower within mirror.
What hope of welling the tears?
While they coursed down her face
From autumn to winter yet through spring to summer!
Translation from the Chinese by jinsheng
