Wednesday 30 November 2016

宿建德江 孟浩然

宿建德江   孟浩然(689-740)
移舟泊煙渚,日暮客愁新。
野曠天低樹,江清月近人。
 
Putting Up at River Jiande        Meng Haoran (689-740)
At the misty ait at River Jiande I moor my boat,
At dusk in the dumps I fall,
In the desolate empty wide spreading wilds the sky seems to have fallen so low that even the trees are subsided and dwindled,
The moonlight on the hyaline river waters looks especially close and genial.
 

Saturday 26 November 2016

木蘭花慢 辛棄疾

木蘭花慢   滁州送      辛棄疾 (1140-1207)
老來情味減,對別酒,怯流年。
況屈指中秋,十分好月,不照人圓。
無情水都不管;共西風、只管送歸船。
秋晚蓴鱸江上,夜深兒女燈前。
衫,便好去朝天,玉殿正思賢。
想夜半承明,留教視草,卻遣籌邊。
長安故人問我,道愁腸殢酒只依然。
目斷秋霄落雁,醉來時響空弦。 [1]
Mu Lan Hua Man A Farewell to Fan Ang the Assistant County Magistraate
Xin Qiji (1140-1207)
My passions for life have literally worn out as time fleets and the older I grow,
Over farewell banquets and fleeting years I am dumped in angst and dismals,
Coming round the corner is the Mid Autumn Festival,
But not for people usually coming together the moon puts on its full round smiles,
Neither do the insentient running waters with the west winds upon they call,
To send off returning boats,
On the river as late autumnal nights veil,
Just revel the wild rice and perch stew to the full,
And enjoy getting together with your children under the lamp as night falls,
In your travelling clothes you’d better pay homage to His Supreme Lord Imperial,
After the meritorious courtiers the court now pursues,
At midnight in the Palace Coze Hall,
You must be drafting the Emperor’s edicts and planning to reinforce the borders’ defense stronghold,
Asking after me if my Chang’an old fellows,
Just say I still indulge in wine to have my sorrows quelled,
Witnessing a solitary wild goose fall from the autumnal sky I am startled,
Amidst my drunkenness I seem to hear empty bow twangles.



Tuesday 22 November 2016

採桑子 呂本中


採桑子  别情       呂本中(1084-1145)-
恨君不似江樓月,南北東西。
南北東西,只有相隨無別離。
恨君卻似江樓月,暫滿還虧。
暫滿還虧,待得團團是幾時。

Cai Sang Zi   Parting Chagrins    Lu Benzhong (1084-1145)-

I am chagrined at you not being the moon by the river tower,
South north east or west, everywhere just wheresoever, to keep me company and never part with me never ever,
I am also chagrined at you just because you are like the moon by the river tower,
After just waxing and off you taper,
You just keep waxing and taper,
When will you be waxed once more?
Whensoever! Whensoever!

 

Friday 18 November 2016

浣溪沙 張元幹

浣溪沙    張元幹  (1091 -1170)
山繞平湖波撼城,湖光倒影浸山青。
水晶樓下欲三更。
霧柳暗時雲度月,露荷翻處水流螢。

蕭蕭散到天明。

Huan Xi Sha           Zhang Yuangan(1091 -1170)

The peaceful waters of the lake lie within the encircling monticules,
The oscillating waves toss and roll against the ancient city wall,
On the efflugent hyaline lake waters the verdant mountains print resplendent reflective shadows,
Idling under the crystal palace gazebo,
It’s already the third watch before I know,
Shrouding the moon are the slow moving clouds,
Dimming even the willows,
Under the zephyr the dew laden lotus twiddle,
Anon fireflies flitter on the water all over the pool,
Letting my hair down loose I sit idly till dawn calls.

 

 

Monday 14 November 2016

憶王孫 李重元


憶王孫   春詞   李重元()

萋萋芳草憶王孫,柳外樓高空斷魂,
杜宇聲聲不忍聞。
欲黃昏,雨打梨花深閉門。

Yi Wang Sun   A Spring Verse    
Li Zhongyuan (Song Poet)

Pining for my love the wayfaring noblesse while the verdant green green grasses of spring lushly rankly sprawl,
High on the tower the fluttering willows keep whisking on my bruised soul,
What gnaws at me most are the rankling cuckoo warbles,
Dusk falls, outside my closely shut door the gusty rains fell the apricot blows.

 

 

Thursday 10 November 2016

終南望餘雪 祖詠

終南望餘雪   祖詠()
終南陰嶺秀,積雪浮雲端。
林表明霽色,城中增暮寒。

Espying On the Assembled Snow of Mt. Zhongnan   
Zu Yong (Tang poet)

The north side of the Zhongnan Mountain Range looks daintily contemplatable,
Amidst the clouds its snows float,
On its woods the after rain sun effulgently glows,
Making people in the Chang’an City feel a bit chilly as dusk falls.

Sunday 6 November 2016

送崔九 裴迪


送崔九     裴迪(698-763)
歸山深淺去,須盡丘壑美。
莫學武陵人,暫桃源里。

Seeing Off Cui Jiu      Pei Di (698-763)

Going deep into mountains you are retreating into recluse,
All the highs and shallows you must have them thoroughly pored through,
Don’t mimic the fisherman of the Peach Fountain,
Just gad around for a short vacation. 

Wednesday 2 November 2016

無題 李商隱

無題           李商隱 (813-858)
鳳尾香羅薄几重,碧文圓頂夜深縫。
扇裁月魄羞難掩,車走雷聲語未通。
曾是寂寥金燼暗,斷無消息石榴紅。
斑騅只繫垂楊岸,何處西南任好風。

Untitled           Li Shangyin (813-858)

How many layers has the silken chiffon embellished with the fern leaf ilk?
With it she makes into verdant round hats deep into midnight still,
She tries to cover her face with a fan as round as the moon but she still stays bashful,
When her carriage moves it rambles like thunderbolt,
So no one hears what she reveals,
As my golden lamp burns out its candles,
The room falls into a dim dark pale.
In the fifth month when the pomegranate blossoms turn vermeil,
She still has not had me approached,
I could only tie my dappled horse to the shore weeping willows,
To the southwest I’ll ride on the wind blows.