Saturday, May 3, 2008

Li Po: Drinking Alone in the Moonlight by Florence Ayscough & Amy Lowell

             The original poem in a seal

       《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

  Drinking Alone in the Moonlight
       tr. Florence Ayscough & Amy Lowell (1921)
A pot of wine among flowers.
I alone, drinking, without a companion.
I lift the cup and invite the bright moon.
My shadow opposite certainly makes us three.
But the moon cannot drink,
And my shadow follows the motions of my body in vain.
For the briefest time are the moon and my shadow my companions.
Oh, be joyful! One must make the most of Spring.
I sing–the moon walks forward rhythmically;
I dance, and my shadow shatters and becomes confused.
In my waking moments we are happily blended.
When I am drunk, we are divided from one another and scattered.
For a long time I shall be obligated to wander without intention.
But we will keep our appointment by the far-off Cloudy River.

back-translation


   月下独饮
       弗洛仑丝·艾斯考、艾米·洛厄尔 英译(1921)
一罐酒,在花丛。
我独自,饮着,无伴。
我举杯,邀请明月。
我的影子对面,自然就成了我们三个。
但月亮不能饮。
而我影子尾随我身体的运动,徒然地。
只在最段的时光中,月亮和我的影子是我的伴儿。
哦,尽欢吧!不能虚度春光。
我歌——月亮也走上前来,很有节律;
我舞,我的影子散落了,混乱了。
在我清醒的时刻,我们在一起其乐融融。
当我醉了,我们彼此分开,各自散去。
会有很久,我将不得不好无目地的游走。
但是我们可以相约在遥远的云河。

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