Saturday, April 08, 2006

Song of the Earth (Stanza in both English and Chinese)



1
悲歌行 李白

悲来乎,悲来乎。
主人有酒且莫斟,听我一曲悲来吟。
悲来不吟还不笑,天下无人知我心。
君有数斗酒,我有三尺琴。
琴鸣酒乐两相得,一杯不啻千钧金。

悲来乎,悲来乎。
天虽长,地虽久,金玉满堂应不守。
富贵百年能几何,死生一度人皆有。
孤猿坐啼坟上月,且须一尽杯中酒。

悲来乎,悲来乎。
凤凰不至河无图,微子去之箕子奴。
汉帝不忆李将军,楚王放却屈大夫。

悲来乎,悲来乎。
秦家李斯早追悔,虚名拨向身之外。
范子何曾爱五湖,功成名遂身自退。
剑是一夫用,书能知姓名。
惠施不肯干万乘,卜式未必穷一经。
还须黑头取方伯,莫谩白首为儒生。


Tale of Sorrowful Song --- Li Bai

Sorrow comes; sorrow comes
Host has wine; pour not yet
Listen to my singing a sorrowful song
Sorrow approaches, neither sob nor laugh
This world - nobody knows my heart
You have several measures of wine,
I have three-foot lute
Lute playing complements happy drinking
One drink equals thousand taels of gold

Sorrow comes; sorrow comes
Everlasting as the heaven and the earth
Yet roomful of gold and jade shall not last
Hundred years of wealth amounts to what?
Everyone lives and dies only once
Lonely ape sits, howls the moon over the grave
Must empty this cup of wine in one gulp.

2
效古秋夜长 钱起 
 
秋汉飞玉霜,北风扫荷香。
含情纺织孤灯尽,拭泪相思寒漏长。
檐前碧云静如水,月吊栖乌啼鸟起。  
谁家少妇事鸳机,锦幕云屏深掩扉。
白玉窗中闻落叶,应怜寒女独无衣。

Imitation of Old Poem: Long Autumn Night ---Qian Qi

Autumn sky, jade-like frost drifting
Northerly wind carries lotus fragrance
With love, weaving till the lonely lamp fades
Wipe tears, fond memory, long cold night
Eaves edge, blue clouds pure like water
Rising moon, roosting birds caw; geese soar.
Whose young wife is weaving love birds on her loom?
Deeply concealed by silk curtain and inlaid screen
Listening to falling leaves by the white jade window
Pity the woman, chilled and alone without company

3
宴陶家亭子 李白

曲巷幽人宅 高门大士家
池开照胆镜 林吐破颜花
绿水藏春日 青轩秘晚霞
若闻弦管妙 金谷不能夸

Banquet at Tao’s Family --- Li Bai

PavilionWinding path; private residence in quietude
Tall gate; great scholar’s home
Open pond mirrors reflection
Protruding forest trees intersperse with colorful flowers
Turquoise water hides the Spring sun
Green room camouflages evening amber
If strings and woodwinds are delightful to hear,
Unmatched by “golden valley”

4
采莲曲 李白
若耶溪边采莲女,笑隔荷花共人语。
日照新妆水底明,风飘香袖空中举。
岸上谁家游冶郎,三三五五映垂杨。
紫骝嘶入落花去,见此踟蹰空断肠。

Lotus-plucking Song --- Li Bai
By Ruo-Ye* Brook, lotus-picking girls
Laughter and chatters among lotus flowers,
Sun shines on the painted beauty – clear in the water
Breeze lifts fragrant sleeves in the air
At the bank, who are the wandering young men
Gathering in threes and fives by the willows
Purple horses neighing pass, flowers fallen
Witnessing this, troubled and lament in vain

5

春日醉起言志 李白
处世若大梦,胡为劳其生。
所以终日醉,颓然卧前楹。
觉来盼庭前,一鸟花间鸣。
借问此何时,春风语流莺。
感之欲叹息,对酒还自倾。
浩歌待明月,曲尽已忘情。

Feelings upon Awakening from Drunkenness on a Spring Day --- Li bai

Earthly life resembles big dream
Pointless slaving oneself
Hence drunken all day
Crouching, disheartened, at the front pillar
Stare before the courtyard upon awakening
A bird sings among the flowersAsk: what season is this?
The nightingale speaks of Spring breezes
Moved, one desires to sigh
Facing the wine, pour for oneself
Singing loudly, awaiting the moon
Song ends, feelings forgotten

6
Staying at Teacher’s Mountain Retreat, Awaiting a Friend in Vain ---Meng Haoran

Dusk sun passes the western peak
Valleys have suddenly darkened
moon above pine trees chills the night
wind, brook, filled with clear sound
woodcutters are almost all home
birds, in mist, are roosting
The man expected to stay the night has not yet come
lonely lute awaits at rattan trail

送别 王维
下马饮君酒,问君何所之。
君言不得意,归卧南山陲。
但去莫复闻,白云无尽时。

Farewell---Wang Wei

Dismount horse, drink your wine
Ask you: "Where to?"
You say: "At odds with the world
Return to rest by the South Hill."
Please go. Ask no more.
Endless, the white clouds.

山中送别 王维
山中相送罢, 日暮掩柴扉。
春草明年绿, 王孙归不归。

Farewell in the Mountain ---Wang Wei
Bid each other farewell in the mountain
Closing wooden gate at dusk
Spring grass green again next year
Will the honored friend return?

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