Li Po: Drinking Alone in the Moonlight by W. A. P. Martin

Eight Versions of Li Po's Drinking Alone in the Moonlight 2

　　　　　　　《月下獨酌》李白
　　　　　　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

　　On Drinking Alone by Moonlight
　　　　　tr. W. A. P. Martin (1900? )
Here are flowers and here is wine,
But where’s a friend with me to join
Hand in hand and heart to heart
In one full cup before we part?
Rather than to drink alone,
I’ll make bold to ask the moon
To condescend to lend her face
The hour and the scene to grace.
Lo, she answers, and she brings
My shadow on her silver wings;
That makes three, and we shall be.
I ween, a merry company
The modest moon declines the cup,
But shadow promptly takes it up,
And when I dance my shadow fleet
Keeps measure with my flying feet.
But though the moon declines to tipple
She dances in yon shining ripple,
And when I sing, my festive song,
The echoes of the moon prolong.
Say, when shall we next meet together?
Surely not in cloudy weather,
For you my boon companions dear
Come only when the sky is clear.

back-translation

　　借着月光独饮
　　　　丁韪良 英译（约1900年）
这些是花，这儿有酒，
但是哪儿才是我的朋友
手携手、心映心地加入
饮一满杯，在我们分别之前？
与其独饮，
不如我斗胆邀请月亮
赏脸屈尊于
这个时辰，令这场景生辉。
看哦，她答应了，还以她的
银色翅膀带来我的影子：
这就成了三位，我们将有三人。
我猜想，月亮这位欢欣的伴
谦让有礼，推卸了酒杯，
倒是影子立即端起，
而当我起舞，我敏捷的影子
配合着我飘动的双脚。
虽说月亮辞谢不饮，
她却在远处闪亮的波动中舞蹈，
而当我唱着，我喜庆的歌，
月亮的回声袅袅不去。
嗨，我们何时再次相会？
肯定不会是阴霾的天气，
因为你啊，我亲爱的欢娱之伴，
只在天空清朗的时候到来。