The day is leaden, wilted by frost are grasses by the shore,

Enshrouded in fog is the tower of the town.

In the field south of the town is a luxurious carriage ready to depart,

By the East Gate the farewell banquet is drawing to a close.

Swaying in front asking me to stay are drooping willows,

She wipes away her tears, and picks a sprig for me with her bare hands.

Where to have the wild geese from Hangpu flitted?

It has been long without word on where they have been.

Stirred by sentiments, before my eyes lie the expansive land and the vast sky.

As I face the chilly dew and breeze, there is no one around,

All I have with me is my sob throughout the night hours.

I say the most indelible of all is the sorrow of parting.

I haven't yet my jade cup emptied,

Pray that a cloud remnant could a waning moon over the west chamber keep.

Losing its shine is the silk lace of a worn and wrinkled quilt,

Loose is the fragrant sachet, spent is the scent.

My singing of lament goes on, so does my drumming that jags a jade pot.

Regretfully the passing of spring abides by no-one,

Against the colour of the night, on the ground scatter snowy pear blossoms.

这首写离别相思的词，是一篇曲折回环、层次丰富、变化多端、完整而又统一的艺术佳作。

全词共分三片，上片，交待分别的时间和地点。“晓阴”、“霜凋”、“雾隐”，说明是在一个秋天雾气很浓的早晨，在“城堞”，女子“掩红泪”、“玉手亲折”，把情人亲自送走了。中片，写离别时，两人依依遥望和内心的伤别情怀。“地”是那样遥“远”，“天”是那般宽“阔”，而情人却奔向那“露冷风清无人处”。“万事难忘”，“唯是”那场“轻别”。此后，只有“断云”、“残月”，陪伴自己度过孤独凄清的寒夜。下片，写离别以后的相思与怀念。夜不寐，茶、酒无味，“恨春去”、“弄夜色”，离情相思意难绝。

整个篇幅，曲折回环，前呼后应，铺叙委婉，层次清晰，转换变化，顿挫有致，巧妙地把这篇多层次的作品融成一体，既照顾到词的整体结构，又注意到局部的灵活自如，充分显示出作者驾驭长调、结构长篇的艺术才能。陈廷焯对这首词评价很高，特别是下片。他说：“蓄势在后，骤雨飘风，不可遏抑。歌至曲终，觉万汇哀鸣，天地变色，老杜所谓‘意惬关飞动，篇终接混茫’也。”

译文

天空阴沉沉的，岸边的青草已被严霜打得萎蔫枯凋。晨雾弥漫，隐没了城墙上的雉堞。南街上涂足油脂的车子等待出发，东门外的别宴也已经停歇。垂柳拂面，那柔嫩的枝条像是可以采下来编结。美人儿以手掩面，拭去离别的泪水，又伸出玉手把柳枝儿折。想那汉水边的鸿雁，你究竟去了什么地方？离去那么长时日，音信杳无，可曾知有人把你挂牵？

情意切切，思绪绵绵。登高眺望，只见地远天阔，哪有她的身影踪迹。在这露冷风清、无人顾及的地方，只听得寒夜漏壶滴滴，凄楚呜咽，更惹人心烦意乱。可叹世间万事，唯离别最难忘怀，想那时，悔不该轻易分手道别。翠玉杯中酒未干，待等重逢时再斟满。但愿那片薄云，留住西楼角上将落的残月，让我举杯对月，遥遥思念。

她送我的丝罗带久经摩挲，已暗无光泽，花纹绣被久叠一边，皱折已难平展。双环相扣的玉连环也已断开解结，芳馨的异香一时香消气散。不停地怨唱悲歌，敲壶击拍，玉壶已被敲得尽是破缺。可恨的是春光竟匆匆逝去，也不与人事先商量相约，空留下满地梨花，装点得夜色皎洁如雪。

注释

① 脂车：在车轮轴上涂油脂，以利行走。

② 红泪：女子的眼泪。传薛灵芸别父母进宫，泣泪如血（见《拾遗记》）。

③ 琼壶敲尽缺：传晋王敦酒后常咏曹操“老骥伏枥”诗，并用如意击唾壶为节拍，壶口尽缺（见《世说新语·豪爽》）。