Shi Jianwu Poem: Longing for Her Husband – 施肩吾《望夫词》

望夫^[1]词

施肩吾

手爇^[2]寒灯向影频^[3]，

回文机^[4]上暗生尘^[5]。

自家夫婿^[6]无消息^[7]，

却^[8]恨桥头卖卜人^[9]。

注释：

[1] 望夫：盼望丈夫归来。

[2] 爇（ruò）：点燃；焚烧。

[3] 频：屡次；多次。

[4] 回文机：织回文锦的织布机。

[5] 暗生尘：灰尘覆盖，暗示已经很久没有织布了。

[6] 夫婿：指丈夫。

[7] 消息：指音信。

[8] 却：回头；转向。

[9] 卖卜人：指算命先生。

Longing for Her Husband

Shi Jianwu

Often looking back to her shadow by cold lamplight,

She only sees the dusty loom drowned in dark night.

Having never received news from her husband dear,

She blames the fortune-teller to say he’d appear.

The unreasonable blame shows the wife is eager to see her husband’s return.