VỢ CHỒNG ĐI CHỢ XUÂN /HUSBAND AND WIFE

          GOING TO MARKET ONE SPRING DAY

                                                                 Bàng Sĩ Nguyên

Núi rừng xa mờ xanh vời xanh
Đường non như lưng rồng uốn khúc
Vợ ngồi lưng ngựa vợ đi trước
Chồng nắm đuôi ngựa chân theo nhanh

The mountains and woods, afar shaded blue upon blue;

The mountain path winds, a dragon unwinding its coils.

On horseback the woman goes first:

The husband follows, holding the horse’s tail and hurrying.

Vợ chồng xuống núi đi chợ xuân
Sương sớm còn che như lấp lối
Vó ngựa cuốn nhanh chồng ríu chân
Vợ thương dìm cương dừng ngựa lại

Husband and wife are going  down the mountain to market this Spring day

The morning mist conceal and bars the way

The horse is going at a trot, the husband stumbles

In sympathy, the wife pulls on the reins to slow the horse.

Một dãy núi mai hoa ướt sương
Đường xuân đưa vợ chồng xuống núi
Váy vợ phồng căng đầy gió đồng
Đuổi theo vó ngựa mỏi chân chồng

Through a plum tree orchard, the flowers still damp with dew.

The Spring path leads to the foot of the mountain.

The woman’s skirt billows out, blown by the country breeze

Running after the horse, the man is tiring.

Vào chợ đổi hàng, mua gạo muối
Mắt đưa nhìn quanh thấy rượu nồng
Chồng ghé vào hàng, say mấy chén

Vợ bán mua xong, dắt ngựa đến
Thấy chồng dim mắt cười nắng xuân.

They enter the market to barter goods, to buy rice and salt.

 Having looked around, and seen smelling  wine.

 The husband halts at the inn and treats himself to a few cups.

 The wife, the goods exchanged, leads the horse there.

  Seeing her husband, his eyes half-closed, smiling to the Spring sunrays.

Ngả nón tu lờ đưa chồng gối
Xoè quạt bên chồng vợ phe phẩy
Chen chân trong chợ người đi lại
Rực rỡ đường thêu, vòng bạc rung

She lays her hat on the bench so that he may rest his head on it.

And opening her fan, sitting beside him, she fans him.

Jostling  each other in the market, the people come and go

Brilliant are the embroideries, the silver bracelets tinkle.

Gió mát nằm lâu chưa hết say
Nâng chồng lên ngựa hàng chất đầy
Vợ đi thong thả theo sau ngựa
Về núi dây cương chồng lỏng tay...

The breeze is cool, but lying down a while, the husband still feels tipsy.

Letting him take the laden horse,

The wife now walks behind without haste

Returning to the mountain , the husband leaves the reins slack …