HẸN
TIỂU THẢO
Người đi qua Tết bao giờ
Mà môi ngọt lịm nước mơ, mứt hồng
Tôi về phố, cuối mùa Đông
Dưng không lại thấy cõi lòng đang xuân
Người đi qua Tết xa, gần?
Hoa đào nở thắm, tuyệt trần vương môi
Đàn chim cánh lạ bên trời
Nhìn người, bỗng hát những lời du dương
Người e ấp một quê hương
Trong đôi tà áo (dễ thương áo dài!)
Tôi, thân ly xứ chiều nay
Nghe như... sợi khói làm cay mắt mình
Người đi qua Tết diễm tình
Mang theo lời nhắn, điêu linh sắp tàn
Ngày về rộng mở thênh thang
Cho đàn con Việt lệ tràn mừng vui
Dưng không tôi lại ngậm ngùi
(Người ơi, tôi nhớ đất trời Việt Nam
nhớ làm sao cánh mai vàng
rung rinh trước gió xuân sang thẹn thùng)
Hẹn Người, mai mốt về chung
Bóng Người trong nắng khi cùng bóng tôi
Quê hương là của tôi, Người
Biển rừng là của giống nòi Việt Nam
Hẹn Người, mai mốt Xuân sang
Mình nâng ly chúc, bừng trang sử hồng.
A Promise Given
When did you pass through the Tet festival
So that your lips still left a very sweet taste of sugar preserved fruit of apricot or persimmon jam?
I return to downtown at the end of Winter
Idly, my heart's core seemed to be while in the right springtime
Did you pass through the Tet festival far or wide?
Peach flowers gorgeously blossomed, and there was a tint of unsurpassable beauty on the lips
A flock of birds with their strange wings beside the skies
Looking at you, all of a sudden, they sang harmoniously singsong lyrics
(As a wanderer), you cherishes the homeland
Especially, in two flaps of your long amiable flowing robe!
For my own part, as a wandering lot in this evening
It seemed... that a thread of smoke was stinging my eyes
Did you pass through the beautiful love of a Tet festival?
Bringing with you a message to say that that racks and ruins of the country are going to be on the wane soon
The home-coming day has been considerably enlarged
For the Vietnamese citizens' eyes that would be suffered with tears of merriness and gladness
Idly, I was very grieved again
(Oh man! I was missing Heaven and Earth of Vietnam
How did I was think back of the golden apricot flower petal
It was quivering in the breeze when the spring arrived in feeling ashamed)
I promise with you, we'll go home together in another few days
So your shadow in the sunshine would be pleased in common with mine
Our native country belonged to mine and their
Seas and forests were in possession for the Vietnamese race!
I promise with you, when the spring'll come in another few days
We'll raise our glass and toast our national history's rose-page a bright flare-up!
(Tieu Thao)
English version by Nguyen Huu Ly
January 24, 2012 of the Tet Festival Lunar New Year of "The Dragon"