回译《红楼梦》艳情小曲一首

《红楼梦》锦香院的妓女云儿唱的小曲：豆蔻开花三月三，一个虫儿往里钻；钻了半日钻不进去，爬到花儿上打秋千。肉儿小心肝，我不开了，你怎么钻？

霍克思

A flower began to open in the month of May. / Along came a honey-bee to sport and play. / He pushed and he squeezed to get inside, / But he couldn’t get in however hard he tried. / So on the flower’s lip he just hung around, / A-playing the see-saw up and down. / Oh my honey-sweet, / Oh my sweets of sin, / If I don’t open up, / How will you get in?

杨宪益夫妇

On the third of the third moon blooms the cardamom; / Fain to creep into it an insect is come; / Failing to enter it clings / To the petals and there it swings. / Dear heart, if I don’t let you in, / Your chances are thin!

万千山贻笑大方，童谣风格回译霍克思版本：五月花开放/蜜蜂戏耍忙/蠢蠢欲进来/奋力却无奈/矗立花柱上/摇摇又晃晃/哎呀蜜糖何其甜/哎呀孽债何其甘/我若不开放/君怎得进来