<Header>
<Author: 薛逢>
<Title: 宮詞>
<Format: 七言律詩>
<Year: 1987>
<BookName: 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation>
<Translator: 許淵冲, 陸佩弦, 吳鈞陶>
<TranslatedTitle: Court Ladies>
<BookPage: 363>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
十二樓中盡曉妝，
望仙樓上望君王。
鎖銜金獸連環冷，
水滴銅龍晝漏長。
雲髻罷梳還對鏡，
羅衣欲換更添香。
遙窺正殿簾開處，
袍袴宮人掃御牀。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
Hoping to see the lord from the Watching Tower,
            Ladies in morning dress were astir in all the bowers.
The double golden knocker was mute and cold,
            The water-clock dripped away the long, boring hours.
Dressing hair in crowing knots, they glanced into the mirror again,
            And the silken gowns, ready for wear, were perfumed anew.
Where the screen, withdrawn, revealed the imperial hall,
            The court maids doing the Royal Bed appeared in view.
<End Translation>