帕布莉卡第一本
第一出 标目[1]
【蝶恋花】（末[2]上）
忙处抛人闲处住[3]。
百计思量，
没个为欢处。
白日消磨肠断句，
世间只有情难诉。
玉茗堂[4]前朝复暮，
红烛迎人[5]，
俊得江山助[6]。
但是[7]相思莫相负，
牡丹亭上三生路[8]。
〔汉宫春〕
杜宝黄堂[9]，
生丽娘小姐，
爱踏春阳[10]。
感梦书生折柳，
竟为情伤。
写真[11]留记，
葬梅花道院凄凉。
三年上，有梦梅柳子，
于此赴高唐[12]。
果尔回生定配。
赴临安取试，
寇起淮扬。
正把杜公围困，
小姐惊惶。
教柳郎行探，
反遭疑激恼平章[13]。
风流况[14]，
施行[15]正苦，
报中状元郎。
杜丽娘梦写丹青[16]记。
陈教授说下梨花枪。
柳秀才偷载回生女。
杜平章刁打状元郎。[17]
注释：
[1]标目：传奇的第一出，照例说明：一、戏曲的创作缘起；二、剧情梗概。
[2]末：扮演年纪较大的男人的角色。
[3]忙处抛人闲处住：忙处抛人，指离开繁乱的官场。闲处，指闲散的地方。
[4]玉茗堂：汤显祖为自己的住所取的名称，以玉茗（白山茶）花而得名。
[5]红烛迎人：《全唐诗》卷九韩翃《赠李翼》：“楼前红烛夜迎人。”
[6]俊得江山助：江山之美使我的文章为之生色。
[7]但是：只要。
[8]牡丹亭上三生路：牡丹亭是约定再世姻缘的地方。
[9]黄堂：太守。本指太守的厅堂。
[10]踏春阳：踏青。
[11]写真：画像。
[12]赴高唐：故事传说，楚怀王游高唐，梦见和一个美人交欢。临别时，这美人说：她在巫山的南面，“旦为朝云，暮为行雨。朝朝暮暮，阳台之下。”后来为她立庙，叫朝云。见宋玉《高唐赋》序。高唐、云雨、巫山、阳台、楚台，后来被用来指男女欢会。
[13]平章：官名，原为平章军国重事或为平章军国事的省略，宋制相当于丞相。这里指杜宝。
[14]风流况：风流事。
[15]施行：用（刑）。行，朱墨本作刑。
[16]丹青：原指画中所用颜色，一般用作画和绘画的代词。
[17]这四句在形式上也可以说是下场诗，它的内容则是比前面《汉宫春》更为简略的剧情概要。
Scene 1 Prelude
(Enter the author Tang Xianzu.)
Tang (Singing to the tune of Butterflies in Love with Flowers):
No longer busy, I live at leisure,
Thinking over where I can find pleasure.
Writing heartbreaking verse by day,
What of love can a lover say?
Sitting in my hall day and night,
The fair scene beautifies my verse
Even in candlelight,
For better or worse,
If you are worthy of her love,
You’d win a new life from above.
(Changing to the tune of Spring in Han Palace):
Governor Du Bao had a daughter fair,
Fond of treading on the green here and there.
She was lovesick of a young scholar she
Dreamed of who’d break for her a twig off a willow tree.
Leaving a portrait, she died,
Buried lonely by mume flowers’ side.
After three years,
The scholar dreaming of mume flowers appears
And brings her back to life.
They soon become man and wife.
He takes the court exam at the capital,
For honor first of all.
But rebels rise,
And take Governor Du’s town by surprise.
The scholar coming to inquire
Is taken for a liar.
Fortunately the decree comes down:
He has won the laurel crown.
Epilogue of the Story
The fair maiden died, leaving her portrait fair.
Her father freed the town of rebels there.
The Dreamer won the fair coming to life again.
How could he not of unjust punishment complain?
