Moon Festival

Hulu jushi fanyi

 

 

 

 

 

 

Su Shi of the Song dynasty
Poem
Based on the Song of Water Tunes
Moon Festival, 1076
Happily drinking through the night till morning: Truly drunk, wrote this verse, begging the pardon of younger brother, Ziyou.

When will the bright moon appear?
I raise my wine to query the dark sky,
Wondering what year upon palatial Heaven this night falls.
I wish to return there, immortal on the wind,
But I fear I could not bear the cold heights beneath the jade eaves of its jeweled halls.
Rising to dance in joy with my fine moon-shadow,
There is nothing comparable in all the world.
Moonlight eddies about cinnabar pavilions,
Slips beneath latticed doors,
Shining upon the sleepless.
I should have no regrets,
But as we are apart so long, why then is the moon so round?
We all have joy and sorrow, partings and reunions:
The moon waxes and wanes in shadow and light.
Since ancient times, nothing has ever been perfect.
Long may we live,
Though miles apart, and together enjoy the beauty of the moon!

 

宋 蘇軾
水調歌頭 丙辰中秋,歡飲達旦,大醉。作此篇,兼懷子由

明月幾時有
把酒問青天
不知天上宮闕
今夕是何年
我欲乘風歸去
又恐瓊樓玉宇
高處不勝寒
起舞弄清影
何似在人間
轉朱閣
低綺戶
照無眠
不應有恨
何事長向別時圓
人有悲歡離合
月有陰晴圓缺
此事古難全
但願人長久
千裡共嬋娟

 

 

08. September 2014 by Steven D. Owyoung
Categories: Literature, Translation | Comments Off on Moon Festival