乌衣巷
Liú Yǔxī(Táng )
刘禹锡(唐)
Zhūquè Qiáo biān yě cǎo huā,
朱雀桥边野草花,
Wūyī Xiàng kǒu xīyáng xiá.
乌衣巷口夕阳斜。
Jiùshí Wáng-Xiè táng qián yàn,
旧时王谢堂前燕,
fēirù xúncháng bǎixìng jiā.
飞入寻常百姓家。
Explanation
必经之地(bìjīngzhīdì): n. a place one must pass (through)
车水马龙(chēshuǐmǎlóng) :n.incessant stream of horses and carriages — heavy traffic
夕阳(xīyáng) :n. the setting sun
巷(xiàng) :n. lane
厅堂(tīngtáng): n. hall
破败(pòbài): adj. dilapidated
evaluation
“乌衣巷”在今天的南京市,东晋时的宰相王导和谢安都在这里住过,“王谢”指的就是这两位宰相。“朱雀桥”是南京秦淮河上的一座桥,是由市中心通往乌衣巷的必经之地。
"Black Robe Lane" is still there in today’s Nanjing City. In the Eastern Jing Dynasty the prime ministers Wang Dao and Xie An both lived in this Lane. "王谢(Wáng-Xiè)" refers to these two ministers. "朱雀桥(Red Sparrow Bridge)" is a bridge over the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. Coming from the city towards Black Robe Lane one must pass over this bridge.
昔日车水马龙的朱雀桥边长满野花野草,达官贵人居住过的乌衣巷口只剩夕阳斜照。燕子曾在那些富贵人家的厅堂里栖息,如今飞进了普通百姓的家里。
This once bustling place by the Red Sparrow Bridge is now full of wildflowers and weeds. There is left only the dimmest impression of the Black Robe Lane’s former glory when the highest, most important officials lived there. As the swallows once roosted in these glorious families, now they just enter the most ordinary houses.
这首诗通过描写昔日曾经繁荣的乌衣巷今日破败的景象,向人们揭示一个道理:历史上的贵族不可能永远兴盛,也表达了诗人对世事变迁的感慨。
This poem uses the former glory of Black Robe Lane and its current broken down state to illustrate a truth. All the glories from history cannot continue unabated and also expresses the poet’s feeling as he considers the changing world.