Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Drinking Alone with the Moon (月下獨酌) by Lǐ​ Bái (李白)

月下獨酌

花間一壺酒, 獨酌無相親;
舉杯邀明月, 對影成三人。
月既不解飲, 影徒隨我身;
暫伴月將影, 行樂須及春。
我歌月徘徊, 我舞影零亂;
醒時同交歡, 醉後各分散。
永結無情遊, 相期邈雲漢。

李白
"From a pot of wine among the flowers
I drank alone. There was no one with me –
Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
Alas, the moon was unable to drink
And my shadow tagged me vacantly;
But still for a while I had these friends
To cheer me through the end of spring....
I sang. The moon encouraged me.
I danced. My shadow tumbled after.
As long as I knew, we were boon companions.
And then I was drunk, and we lost one another.
...Shall goodwill ever be secure?
I watch the long road of the River of Stars."

Unless noted otherwise, all translations of Tang Poetry come from the Chinese Classics and Translations website, tranlations by Witter Bynner.

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