The Tale of Kiều (Truyện Kiều - Bản Tiếng Anh)

Verses 2000 - 2500

2000. The master's grumbles and your lamentations.

She forced me to stand aside and keep silent,

And just got on floor when tired of hearing."

Kieu was shocked with horror by the valet's words,

"This woman," thought she, "rarely seen in the world!

2005. What an audacity! What a faculty!

Thinking of her makes my skin creep from horror.

So profound and sneaky this young woman is,

That poor Thuc becomes a man of tied-up hands!

She has all proofs of her man's disloyalty,

2010. That could make a woman mad with jealousy.

She kept silent instead of a hue and cry,

Merrily greeting and tenderly talking.

To vent one's rage in fits is rather normal,

To smile one's rage unfathomably evil!

2015. I have to take precaution for my safety,

It's not secure in this beast's mouth and snake's fang!

If I don't manage to run away in time,

Finally I'll be made a victim of hers.

As a weed I don't mind about chute water,

2020. And my floating life doesn't care where it floats.

My only concern is that all by myself,

How to survive empty-handed on strange land!"

She rummaged through her mind for a solution,

And saw on the altar some treasured objects.

2025. She took them with her as means of subsistence.

The drum was heard announcing third watch of night,

Kieu climbed over the flower fence of the shrine,

And groped her way west following the moonlight.

Around was a haze of sand dunes and tree hills,

2030. Cockcrows from lone huts and shoe marks on fogged bridge.

A lonely helpless girl in the dead of night,

Afraid of the road and sorry for the plight!

When dawn cracked in the mulberry of east sky,

She was still hopeless of a destination!

2035. By chance she saw a temple in the distance,

Its name Haven for Refuge was clearly seen.

All happy, she firmly knocked at the front door,

And was welcomed in by the temple's tenant.

Seeing the girl in her brown Buddhist garment,

2040. Giac Duyen, the chief nun, at once felt compassion.

She cautiously posed questions about origin,

Of which Kieu, still strange, did not tell the whole truth:

"I'm a small novice from hometown of Pekin,

A follower of Buddha for quite a time.

2045. As my teacher will certainly come after,

She instructed me to present you these treasures."