《南柯一梦》成语英译与典故

四十四、南柯一梦

传说有个古人叫淳于棼（fén），

一天靠着棵古槐把觉睡。

他梦见了一个地方叫槐安国，

槐安国有一个南柯郡。

他做上了太守时运好，

又被那槐安国公主招了亲。

可后来他领兵打仗总失败，

被罢官驸马心中添烦闷。

醒来后发现槐安国是个蚂蚁洞，

南柯郡是古槐一枝朝南伸。

淳于棼南柯一梦空欢喜，

这故事讽刺那专做美梦的人，

荣华富贵皆虚影，

奉劝世人莫贪心。

A Nanke Dream

Legend has it that there was an ancient man named Chun Yufen，who one day leaned against an old locust tree and fell asleep.He dreamed he was in a place called the Kingdom of Huai'an.In the King⁃dom there was a Nanke County，and there he luckily became an imperial inspector，and became husband of the princess.

Later he consequently failed in commanding an army.He felt discouraged when he was deprived of his post，and woke up to find Huai'an Kingdom was but an ants cavity，and Nanke County was only a branch of the old locust tree spreading southward.Chun Yufen's Nanke dream was but a fruitless hope.

This story was a satire on those who like day⁃dreaming.High position and great wealth are like floating clouds，one would be well advised not to be too overcast by gusto.