The song of a wife
- Poetry of Zhang Ji

《节妇吟》

English Rendering

You know i have husband but still send me diamond,

i know what you think,so i inlaid it in my red dress.

I live in the royal courtyard,my husband is a guard.

I know what you think,but i still play the songs for him.

Now return your diamond tearfully,sorry,the handsome boy,

i'm so regretful that i haven't met you before i married him.

The song of a wife by Zhang Ji
The song of a wife by Zhang Ji

Original Text (中文原文)

君知妾有夫,赠妾双明珠。

感君缠绵意,系在红罗襦。

妾家高楼连苑起,良人执戟明光里。

知君用心如日月,事夫誓拟同生死。

还君明珠双泪垂,恨不相逢未嫁时。

Analysis & Context

Zhang Ji:张籍(AD767-830),a poet in Tang dynasty

Reader's Companion

The Essence of the Verse

Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.

Reading Between the Lines

Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.

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