5月8日

三境界
清 王國維 ( 1877~1927 )

古今之成大事業、大學問者，必經過三種之境界。
「昨夜西風凋碧樹，獨上高樓，望盡天涯路」，
此第一境也；
「衣帶漸寬終不悔，為伊消得人憔悴」，
此第二境也；
「眾裡尋他千百度，驀然回首，那人卻在燈火闌珊處」，
此第三境也。

──選自《人間詞話》

May 8

The Three States of Mind
Wang Guowei (1877 - 1927, Qing Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

Any successful person or well-learned scholar, from past to present,
would have experienced the following three states of mind:

Last night, when the west wind swept and
Caused the trees to wither,
I climbed up the high pavilion alone and
Looked into the far end of the world.

...such is the first state.

No regret will ever come from
That loosening robe strap;
For only she can cause
This thin and pallid appearance of mine.

...such is the second.

Searching through the crowd
A hundred times, a thousand times;
Suddenly, when I turned around,
She stood right there,
Beneath the waning light.
...such is the third.

── from Renjian Cihua (Poetic Remarks in the Human World)