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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.

— Nguyễn Du The Tale of Kiều (1813)

Duyên hội ngộ, đức cù lao,
Bên tình bên hiếu, bên nào nặng hơn?
Để lời thệ hải minh sơn,
Làm con trước phải đền ơn sinh thành.

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Notes from Wikiquote

Lines 601–604

More quotes by Nguyễn Du

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)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Nguyễn Du (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.