中英对照《窦娥冤》：楔子

Title: 竇娥冤 (The Injustice to Dou E)

Author: 关汉卿 (Guan Hanqing)

Snow in Midsummer

Characters Tsai, a widow

Tou Tien-chang, a poor scholar, later a government inspector

Tou Ngo, tou Tien-chang’s daughter Tuan-yuan

Doctor Lu

Old Chang

Donkey, his son

Prefect

Attendant

The officer in charge of executions

Executioner 

楔子

〔卜儿蔡婆上，詩云〕

花有重開日，人無再少年。不須長富貴，安樂是神仙。

老身蔡婆婆是也，楚州人氏，嫡親三口儿家屬。不幸夫主亡逝已過，止有一個孩儿，年長八歲，俺娘儿兩個，過其日月，家中頗有些錢財。這里一個竇秀才，從去年問我借了二十兩銀子，如今本利該銀四十兩。我數次索取，那秀才只說貧難，沒得還我。他有一個女儿，今年七歲，生得可喜，長得可愛，我有心看上他，与我家做個媳婦，就准了這四十兩銀子，豈不兩得其便。他說今日好日辰，親送女儿到我家來，老身且不索錢去，專在家中等候，這早晚竇秀才敢待來也。

Prelude

[Enter Mistress Tsai]

Mrs Tsai:

A flower may blossom again,

But youth never returns.

You don’t have to be rich and noble,

Live at ease, you’re as happy as a fairy.

I am Mistress Tsai of Chuchow. There were three of us in my family; but unluckily my husband died, leaving me just one son who is eight years old. We live together, mother and son, and are quite well off. A scholar named Tou of Shangyang Prefecture borrowed twenty taels of silver from me last year. Now the interest and capital come to forty taels, I’ve asked several times for the money; but Mr. Tou only said he was too poor, and cannot repay it. He has a daughter, who is good looking and very adorable,  and I’ve a good mind to make her my daughter-in-law; then he won’t have to pay back the forty taels, isn’t it a convenient  win-win deal? Mr. Tou chose today as a lucky day, and is bringing the girl to me; so I won’t ask him to pay me back, but wait for him at home. He should be here soon.

〔沖末扮竇天章引正旦扮端云上，詩云〕

讀盡縹緗万卷書，可怜貧殺馬相如，漢庭一日承恩召，不說當壚說子虛。

小生姓 竇名天章，祖貫長安京兆人也。幼習儒業，飽有文章；爭奈時運不通，功名未遂。不幸渾家亡化已過，撇下這個女孩儿，小字端云，從三歲上亡了他母親，如今孩儿七歲了也。小生一貧如洗，流落在這楚州居住。此間一個蔡婆婆，他家廣有錢財，小生因無盤纏，曾借了他二十兩銀子，到今本利該對還他四十兩。他數次問小生索取，教我把甚么還他，誰想蔡婆婆常常著人來說，要小生女孩儿做他儿媳婦。況如今春榜動，選場開，正待上朝取應，又苦盤纏缺少。小生出于無奈，只得將女孩儿端云送于蔡婆婆做儿媳婦去。

〔做歎科，云〕

嗨！這個那里是做媳婦？分明是賣与他一般。就准了他那先借的四十兩銀子，分外但得些少東西，勾小生應舉之費，便也過望了。說話之間，早來到他家門首。婆婆在家么？

(Enter Tou Tien-Chang, leading his daughter Tuan-yuan.)

Tou:

I am a master of all the learning in the world.

But my fate is worse than that of other men.

My name is Tou Tien-Chang, and the home of my ancestor’s is Chang’an. I have studied the classics since I was a child and read a good deal; but I haven’t yet taken the examinations. Unfortunately my wife has died, leaving me this only daughter, Tuan-yun. She lost her mother when she was three, and now she is seven. Living from hand to mouth, I moved to Shangyang Prefecture in Chuchow and took lodgings here. There is a widow in this town named Tsai, who lives alone with her son and is fairly well off, and as I had no money for travelling I borrowed twenty taels; but though she has asked several times for the money, I haven’t been able to pay her. And recently she has sent to say she would like my daughter to marry her son. Since the spring examinations will soon be starting, I should be going to the capital; but I have no money for the road. So I am forced to take Tuan-yun to Widow Tsai as her future daughter-in-law.

[With a sigh] I am not marrying my daughter but selling her! For this means the widow will cancel my debt and give me some cash for my journey. This is all I can hope for. 

 Ah, child, your father does this against his will! While talking to myself, I’ve reached her door. Mistress Tsai! Are you at home?

〔卜儿上，云〕

秀才請家里坐，老身等候多時也。

〔做相見科，竇天章云〕

小生今日一徑的將女孩儿送來与婆婆，怎敢說做媳婦，只与婆婆早晚使用。小生

目下就要上朝進取功名去，留下女孩儿在此，只望婆婆看覷則個。

〔卜儿云〕

這等，你是我親家了。你本利少我四十兩銀子，兀的是借錢的文書，還了你；再

送你十兩銀子做盤纏。親家，你休嫌輕少。

〔竇天章做謝科，云〕

多謝了婆婆，先少你許多銀子都不要我還了，今又送我盤纏，此恩异日必當重報。

婆婆，女孩儿早晚呆痴，看小生薄面，看覷女孩儿咱。

〔卜儿云〕

親家，這不消你囑付，令愛到我家，就做到親女儿一般看承他，你只管放心的去。

〔竇天章云〕

婆婆，端云孩儿該打呵，看小生面則罵几句；當罵呵，則處分几句。孩儿，你也

不比在我跟前，我是你親爺，將就的你；你如今在這里，早晚若頑劣呵，你只討

那打罵吃。儿（口樂），我也是出于無奈。

〔做悲科〕

〔唱〕

【仙呂·賞花時】我也只為無計營生四壁貧，因此上割舍得親儿在兩處分。從今日遠踐洛陽塵，又不知歸期定准，則落的無語暗消魂。

〔下〕

〔卜儿云〕

竇秀才留下他這女孩儿与我做媳婦儿，他一徑上朝應舉去了。

〔正旦做悲科，云〕

爹爹，你直下的撇了我孩儿去也！

〔卜儿云〕

媳婦儿，你在我家，我是親婆，你是親媳婦，只當自家骨肉一般。你不要啼哭，

跟著老身前后執料去來。

〔同下〕

MRS. TSAI: So it’s Mr. Tou! Come in, please. I’ve been waiting for you.

(They greet each other.)

TOU: I’ve brought you my daughter, ma'am, not to be your daughter-in-law — that would be asking too much-—but to serve you day and night. I  must be going to take the examination.I hope you will look after her.

MRS. TSAI: Well, now we’re relatives. You owed me forty taels including interest. Here is your promissory note back and another ten taels for your journey, I hope you don’t think it too little.

TOU: Thank you, ma’am! Instead of asking for what I owe you, you have given me money for the road. Some day I shall repay your kindness in full. My daughter is a foolish child. Please take care of her,ma'am, for my sake.

MRS. TSAI: Don't worry, Mr. Tou. I shall look after your daughter as if she were my own.

TOU (kneeling to her): If the child deserves a beating, ma'am, for my sake just scold her! And if she de­serves a scolding, for my sake speak gently to her! As for you, Tuan-yun, this isn’t like at home， where your father used to put up with your whims. If you’re naughty here, you’ll be beaten and cursed. When shall I see you again, child? (He sighs.)

I drum sadly on my sheath;

I have studied the Conftician classics;

My unhappy wife died young,

And now I am parted from my only daughter. (Exit.)

MRS. TSAI: Now Mr. Tou has left me his daughter, and gone to the capital for the examination. I must see to the house.

(Exeunt.)