可知天下古今现成的好景妙事尽多，只是愚人蠢子说不出想不出罢了。
It only goes to show that there is always something to hand if only one will take the trouble to look.
Stupid people like me fail to think of the obvious.
但只一件：虽然这一改新妙之极，但你居此则可，在我实不敢当。”
Still, though this is a marvellous change you've made, it describes the place where you live ― it's too good for me.”
古人异姓陌路，尚然同肥马，衣轻裘，敝之而无憾，何况咱们呢。”
Look at the ancients who used to “lend furs and horses and feel no resentment when they came back the worse for wear”.
And that was to mere acquaintances: we two are members of the same family.”
倒是这唐突闺阁，万万使不得的。
“Still, disrespect to a lady is quite out of the question.
如今我率性将 ‘公子’‘女儿’改去，竟算是你诔他的倒妙。
So I'll tell you what, I may as well change the ‘lordling' and ‘maid' and make it your lament for her ― that would be better.
况且素日你又待他甚厚，故今宁可弃此一篇大文，万不可弃此 ‘茜纱’新句。
After all, you were always very well-disposed towards Skybright.
I'd rather give the elegy to someone else than throw away your “rosy-misted casement”.
竟莫若改作 ‘茜纱窗下，小姐多情；黄土垄中，丫鬟薄命。’
Let's make it: The mistress by her rosy-misted casement must seem most cruelly afflicted; And the maid beneath the yellow earth must seem most cruelly ill-fated.
况且小姐、丫鬟亦不典雅，等我的紫鹃死了，我再如此说，还不算迟呢。”
Besides, ‘young lady' and ‘maid' lack elegance.Wait till my Zijuan dies, it won't be too late for me to use that phrase then.”
宝玉说：“我又有了，这一改恰就妥当了，莫若说‘茜纱窗下，我本无缘，黄土陇中，卿何薄命！’”
‘I know what,' said Bao-yu. ‘I've got a still better solution.
Why don't we just say: I by my rosy-misted casement seem most cruelly afflicted; And you beneath the yellow earth seem most cruelly ill-fated?”
黛玉听了，忡然变色，心中虽有无限的狐疑乱拟，外面却不肯露出，反连忙含笑点头称妙，说:"果然改的好。
Daiyu abruptly turned pale, filled with misgivings by these ominous words.But instead of disclosing this she smiled and nodded. “That really is a change for the better.
刚才太太打发人叫你，说明儿一早过大舅母那边去呢。
Just now your mother sent word that first thing tomorrow you're to go to your Aunt Xing's place.
你二姐姐已有人家求准了，想是明儿那人家人来拜允，所以叫你们过去呢。
Your Second Sister's been chosen by some family; so probably they want you to go over when those people call to make a formal request for her hand.”
宝玉拍手道："何必如此忙？
‘What's the hurry?” said Bao-yu, a trifle pettishly.
黛玉道："又来了，我劝你把脾气改改罢。
“There you go again!Take my advice and stop being so wayward.
话说宝玉才祭完了晴雯，只听花阴中有个人声，倒吓了一跳。
Baoyu, after sacrificing to Qingwen, was startled to hear a voice from the shade of the flowers.
走出来细看，不是别人，却是林黛玉，满面含笑，口内说道:"好新奇的祭文!
Stepping forward to investigate, he found it was no other than Daiyu. “What an original funeral ode!” she teased, smiling all over her face.
可与《曹娥碑》并传了。”
“It deserves to be passed down with that epitaph commemorating Cao E,1 the filial daughter.”
宝玉听了，不觉红了脸，笑答道:"我想着世上这些祭文都蹈于熟滥了，所以改个新样，原不过是我一时的玩意，谁知又被你听见了。
Baoyu blushed. “The usual run of funeral odes seem to me so stereotyped,” he explained, “I tried to use a new form.
It was just for fun; I never thought you'd hear it.
长篇大论，不知说的是些什么，只听见中间两句，什么 ‘红绡帐里，公子多情；黄土垄中，女儿薄命。’
There were a couple of lines somewhere near the middle that caught my attention: The young man in his crimson-curtained bed must seem most cruelly afflicted; And the maiden beneath the yellow earth must seem most cruelly ill-fated.
The general sentiment is all right,
这一联意思却好，只是 ‘红绡帐里’未免熟滥些。
That's a felicitous couplet, except that ‘red gauze curtains' is rather trite.
放着现成的真事，为什么不用？”
I don't see why you used that image when there is a much better one to hand.”
宝玉忙道：“这里风冷，咱们只顾站着，凉着呢可不是玩的，快回去罢。”
Bao-yu at once became concerned about her. ‘There's a nasty wind here.
I don't know why we are standing around in the cold like this.
We'd better be getting back now.
There's no sense in making ourselves ill.”
宝玉只得闷闷的转步，又忽想起来黛玉无人随伴，忙命小丫头子跟了送回去。
Bao-yu began gloomily walking off in the opposite direction.
Suddenly it occurred to him that Dai-yu was unaccompanied and he told the little maid to run after her and see her back to her apartment.
自己到了怡红院中，果然有王夫人打发老嬷嬷来，吩咐他明日一早过贾赦那边去，与方才黛玉之言相对。
When he reached Happy Red Court, sure enough Lady Wang had sent a nanny to tell him to go to Jia She's place the next morning, as Daiyu had just told him.