Su Dongpo: Song Remnant of River Sounds

Song Remnant of River Sounds

水 调 歌 头

明 月 几 时 有？
把 酒 问 青 天。
不 知 天 上 宫 阙
今 夕 是 何 年 。

我 欲 乘 风 归 去
又 恐 琼 楼 玉 宇
高 处 不 胜 寒 。
起 舞 弄 清 影

何 似 在 人 间！
转 朱 阁， 低 绮 户
找 无 眠 。
不 应 有 恨

何 事 长 向 别 时 圆？
人 有 悲 欢 离 合
月 有 阴 晴 圆 缺
此 事 古 难 全。
但 愿 人 长 久
千 里 共 婵 娟 。

Shui Diao Ge Tou

Ming yue ji shi you?
Ba jiu wen qing tian.
Bu zhi tian shang gong que,
Jin xi shi he nian.

Wo yu cheng feng gui chu,
You kong qiong lou yu yu,
Gao chu bu sheng han.
Qi wu nong qing ying,

He si zai ren jian !
Zhuan zhu ge, di qi hu,
Zhao wu mian.
Bu ying you hen,

He shi chang, xiang bie shi yuan ?
Ren you bei huan li he,
Yue you yin qing yuan que,
Ci shi gu nan quan.
Dan yuan ren chang jiu,
Qian li gong chan juan.

Song Remnant of River Sounds

How many years have we had bright moonlight?
Holding a wine cup, I ask the clear sky.
Do not know the palace watchtower up in the heavens
Wonder what year and dynasty is it for them.

I want to ride a chariot drawn by four horses, to go upward on the winds
But I fear their towers and palaces made of fine jade.
And so high up in the sky, I could not endure the freezing cold
Get up, dance and play with the moon shadows.

Feels the same as if I were living among them!
Shifting moonlight in the bright red pavilion, low enough to enter the screen door.
So bright, no sleep possible
Should not have resentments.

Why are we so far away, while the moon so round?
People always have sadness and joy, separate and unite
Moon has periods of being hidden, being revealed, being less than full.
These affairs from ancient times, difficult to be whole and complete
Yet from the beginning, people have wanted a long life
And from hundreds of miles away, share it with the Moon Maiden.

Notes:

Moon Maiden: Mythological story about Chang E in relation to the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival