Prelude to Water Melody

作者简介:苏轼,字子瞻,号东坡居士,文学家、诗人、书画家、药理学家,宋代大诗人之一。除了有诗作流传于世,苏轼的散文对理解中国11世纪的旅行文学有重要价值。
Author’s intro:Su Shi was a writer, poet, artist, calligrapher, pharmacologist, and one of the major poets of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). His courtesy name was Zizhan and his pseudonym was Dongpo Jushi. Besides his renowned poetry, his other extant writings are of great value in the understanding of 11th century Chinese travel literature.

丙辰中秋,欢饮达旦,大醉,作此篇,兼怀子由。
Mid-autumn of the Bing Chen year, having been drinking happily overnight, I’m drunk, so I write this poem for memorizing my brother, Zi You.

明月几时有,把酒问青天。
How long will the full moon appear?
Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.

不知天上宫阙,今夕是何年?
I do not know what time of the year
it would be tonight in the palace on high.

我欲乘风归去,又恐琼楼玉宇,高处不胜寒。
Riding the wind, there I would fly,
yet I’m afraid the crystalline palace would be
too high and cold for me.

起舞弄清影,何似在人间!
I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.
On high as on earth, would it be as gay?

转朱阁,低绮户,照无眠。
The moon goes round the mansions red
through gauze-draped window soft to shed
her light upon the sleepless bed.

不应有恨,何事长向别时圆?
Why then when people part, is the oft full and bright?

人有悲欢离合,月有阴晴圆缺,此事古难全。
Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again;
The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.
There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.

但愿人长久,千里共婵娟。
So let us wish that man
will live long as he can!
Though miles apart, we’ll share the beauty she displays.

(翻译: 许渊冲)