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Quotes from The Tale of Kiều — Nguyễn Du

1766–1820 Vietnam

← All quotes by Nguyễn Du

9 quotes

Inside ourselves there lies the root of good:
the heart outweighs all talents on this earth.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

By lamplight turn these scented leaves and read
a tale of love recorded in old books.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Beautiful girl and talented young man—
what stirred their hearts their eyes still dared not say.
They hovered, rapture-bound, 'tween wake and dream.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Just as the lotus wilts, the mums bloom forth—
time softens grief, and winter turns to spring.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

She peered far into space: where was her home?

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Heaven grants us this hour: now from our gate
all mists have cleared; on high, clouds roll away.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Now we stand face to face—but who can tell
we shan't wake up and learn it was a dream?

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

A hundred years—in this life span on earth
talent and destiny are apt to feud.
You must go through a play of ebb and flow
and watch such things as make you sick at heart.
Is it so strange that losses balance gains?
Blue Heaven's wont to strike a rose from spite.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

As you must weigh and choose between your love
and filial duty, which will turn the scale?
She put aside all vows of love and troth—
a child first pays the debts of birth and care.

The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Nguyễn Du (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.