Pekinese Rhymes/15
XV
日頭出來一點紅
師傅騎馬我騎龍
師傅騎馬遶街走
我騎靑龍過海東
海東有我家
我家種着五盆花
大姐愛個紅芍藥
二姐愛個牡丹花
三姐愛的是桃花瓣
四姐愛的是大蓮花
剩下五姐無的愛
一心要出家
出家人兒樂陶陶
一來不受公婆氣
二來不受丈夫熬
三來懷中不抱子
四來散淡又逍遙
NOTES
芍藥 shao2 yao4, peony, lat. pæonia 牡丹 mu3 tan1, the tree peony, lat. pæonia mutan. 蓮花, lien2 hua1, the lotus flower, lat. Nelumbium speciosum. 無的愛 u2 ti1 ai4, she has nothing that she likes. 出家 ch'u1 chia1, "to go out of the family" means to enter the monastic life. 樂陶陶 lo4 t'ao2 t'ao2, joyfully, happily. 熬 ao1, to boil, to decoct, and figurately to vex, to disturb. 散淡 san3 tan4, freely, easily, with no coercions 逍遙 hsiao1 yao2, in a state of peace and bliss.
TRANSLATION
The sun has come out like a red spot ― my teacher rides on a horse and I ride on a dragon ― the teacher riding on the horse goes along the streets ― I riding on the dark dragon cross over to the East of the sea ― at the East of the sea there lives my family ― and in my family they cultivate five fllower-pots ― my first sister likes the red peony ― my second sister likes the tree peony ― my third sister likes the petals of the peach blossom ― my fourth sister likes the large lotus blossoms. ― There is the fifth sister who has nothing she may like ― and does not think of other but of becoming a nun ― the women in the monastic life live very happily indeed ― firstly they do not suffer the vexations of father-and mother-in-law ― secondly they do not suffer a husband's maltreatment ― thirdly they do not bear children ― and fourthly they live freely and in a condition of blissful peace.