话说香菱见众人正说笑他,便迎上去笑道:“你们看这首诗,要使得,我就还学,要还不好,我就死了这做诗的心了。”
When Xiangling discovered the others talking about her, she went up to them with a smile.“Read this,” she said. “If it's any good, I'll persevere; if not, I'll give up trying to write poetry.”
说着,把诗递与黛玉及众人看时,只见写道是:§精华欲掩料应难,影自娟娟魄自寒。
She handed Daiyu her poem and they all read:Hard, surely, to hide such splendour, A form so fair, a spirit so cold, so withdrawn;
绿蓑江上秋闻笛,红袖楼头夜倚栏。
In green coir cape on the river he listens to autumn fluting,In red sleeves she leans over her balustrade at night.
博得嫦娥应借问,何缘不使永团圆!
Wish every night could be a fifteenth night.
There were exclamations from all of them when they had finished reading it.
众人看了,笑道:“这首不但好,而且新巧有意趣。
‘But this is not just “all right”,' they said, ‘this is a good and highly original poem.
可知俗语说:‘天下无难事,只怕有心人。’
It shows the truth of the proverb: “Nothing is too difficult for one who has a mind to do it.”
香菱听了,心下不信,料着是他们哄自己的话,还只管问黛玉、宝钗等。
Xiangling, hardly able to believe her ears, was questioning Daiyu and Baochai to make sure they were not teasing when some maids and old nurses hurried in.
正说之间,只见几个小丫头并老婆子忙忙的走来,都笑道:"来了好些姑娘、奶奶们,我们都不认得,奶奶、姑娘们快认亲去。”
“A party of ladies, old and young, have arrived,” they announced.“We don't know them, but they're your relatives.Please go quickly to welcome them.”
你们到底说明白了是谁的亲戚?"
“You must explain more clearly.Whose relatives are they?”
那婆子丫头都笑道:“奶奶的两位妹子都来了;还有一位姑娘,说是薛大姑娘的妹子,还有一位爷,说是薛大爷的兄弟。
There are two young cousins of yours, Mrs Zhu,' they said, ‘and there's a young lady who says she's Miss Bao's cousin, and a young gentleman that's cousin to Mr Xue.
还有一位姑娘,说是薛大姑娘的妹妹,还有一位爷, 说是薛大爷的兄弟。
Two young ladies, one of them is said to be Miss Xue's cousin, and there's a young gentleman who's Master Xue's cousin.
我这会子请姨太太去呢,奶奶和姑娘们先上去罢。”
We're on our way now to invite Madam Xue over.You and the young ladies had better go first.”
说着,一径去了。
They hurried off to complete their mission.
李纨也笑道:"我们婶子又上京来了不成?
‘And it sounds as if my Aunt Li must have decided to bring her two daughters to the capital,' said Li Wan.
他们如何凑在一处,这可是奇事。”
But how odd that they should all arrive together.”
大家纳闷,来至王夫人上房内,只见乌压压的一地的人。
When she and the cousins entered Lady Wang's main reception room, they found it packed with people.
又有邢夫人的嫂子,带了女儿岫烟进京来投邢夫人的,可巧凤姐之兄王仁也正进京,两亲家一处搭帮来了。
Apart from the ones whom the servants had mentioned, they found Lady Xing's brother's wife with her daughter Xing Xiu-yan.
The three of them, Lady Xing's brother and his wife and daughter, had come up to the capital to put themselves under the protection of Lady Xing.
By a coincidence Xi-feng's brother Wang Ren was starting out for the capital just as they were planning to set out themselves, so, on the strength of the marriage connection (Wang Ren being the brother of Lady Xing's daughter-in-law), they had elected to travel in his company.
走至半路泊船时,遇见李纨寡婶,带着两个女儿,长名李纹,次名李绮,也上京,大家叙起来,又是亲戚,因此三家一路同行。
Half way there, when their boats moored, they had happened to meet Li Wan's widowed aunt making the same journey with her daughters Li Wen and Li Qi;
大家叙起来又是亲戚,因此三家一路同行。
and having found out in the course of conversation that they were related, these three families had proceeded on their way together.
后有薛蟠之从弟薛蝌,因当年他父亲在京时,已将胞妹 薛宝琴许配都中梅翰林之子为婚,正欲进京发嫁,闻得王仁进京,他也随后带了妹子赶来。
Then there was Xue Pan's cousin Xue Ke, coming to arrange for the marriage of his younger sister Baoqin who had been betrothed to the son of Academician Mei when their father was in the capital.Learning of Wang Ren's trip, he had followed with his sister and overtaken him.
所以今日会齐了,来访投各人亲戚。
Thus it was that today all these people presented themselves simultaneously at the Rong mansion lo6lting for their various relations.
于是大家见礼叙过,贾母、王夫人都欢喜非常。
The Lady Dowager and Lady Wang welcomed these guests most warmly.
贾母因笑道:"怪道昨儿晚上灯花爆了又爆,结了又结,原来应在今日。”
“Not wonder our lamp wicks kept forming snuff and sputtering last night!” remarked the old lady with a smile. “It was a sign of this reunion today.”
一面叙些家常,一面收看带来的礼物,一面命留酒饭。
While exchanging family news and accepting the gifts brought, she ordered a meal.