苏轼·《水调歌头》英译

Thinking of My Brother on the Mid-Autumn Night

Su Shi

When will there be bright moonlight?

Let me with wine ask the blue sky.

I don’t know in the celestial height what year is tonight.

I want to go with the wind to the sky,

But I fear it is too cold in the height.

Though in the moon there is song and dance,

It is not as on the world so nice.

The moon peeped into the red pavilion, the harem damask,

And into the room where I lay awake.

We should not complain and rebuke

Why the moon is not always round.

As people experience union and separation, joy and pain,

So the moon tends to wax and wane.

From ancient times this is the way.

I only wish you live long,

And let us a thousand miles away,

Share the beauty of Diana!

（张炳星 译）

Shuidiaogetou

Su Shi

Drank merrily the whole Mid-Autumn night in 1076 and got dead drunk. Thought of my brother Ziyou; hence this poem.

Holding my wine cup skyward, asked I,

When did the moon first shed its light?

And how do those mark the day and night

Who dwell in Heaven? Will they reply?

I think of joining them rising on the wind,

But I fear that the Jade Palace should be

Too high and too cold for a mortal like me.

No greater joy on earth one can find

Than dancing in moonbeams inclined.

Upon a chamber red,

Over silk spread,

On the sleepless abed.

Do not feel bitter

Just because every time we live apart,

The moon is brighter.

In joy people meet, in sorrow people part.

The moon waxes and wanes,

And the world imperfect remains.

Then let’s pray we both live long

Each enjoys the full moon on and on.

（陈君朴、冯修文 译）

Tune: Shui Diao Get Tou”

Su Shi

Mid-Autumn Moon

When did the bright moon appear for the first time?

Holding a cup of wine, I ask the blue sky:

In the celestial palace what year is it tonight?

I wish to return there by riding with the wind,

but am afraid that those beautiful buildings

up there are too high and chilly for me to be in.

Here on earth I can dance with my

own moonlit shadow whenever I like.

Where else in the universe can I

be so carefree to please my mind?

The moon now shifts her beam from the red pavilion

to the lower window and door.

She then shines on this person who is

unable to fall asleep at all.

The moon is not supposed to hold grudges.

But why does she always show her round face

when parting is about to take place?

Separation and reunion, sadness and delight.

Ah, these are part of human life.

The moon may be in the full or on the wane.

Sometimes she is gloomy and sometimes

she is bright.

Imperfections do exist since ancient times.

I can only wish we will lead a long and healthy life.

But for now, let’s enjoy moonlight together

over a thousand miles.

（张繁昌 译）

Mid-autumn Festival: To the Tune of Prelude to Water Melody

On the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1076, I kept drinking with great joy till dawn and became drunk. I composed this poem, yearning for my younger brother Ziyou.

When does the full bright moon appear?

I raise my wine and ask the sky.

Tonight, I wonder, which year

It is in the Celestial Palace high.

I want go back home by riding the air,

But I’m afraid these jade towers crystalline

Would be too high, colder than I can bear.

I rise and dance with the shadow of mine;

Is it like our mortal world high up there?

Turning round the attics red,

Lowly through the latticed window,

The moon shines on the sleepless bed.

She shouldn’t have any indignation.

Why is she oft so full in our separation?

Men part and meet; they may be sad and gay;

The moon does wax and wane, being dim and bright.

Nothing’s been perfect since the olden day.

I wish we could live long, and share her light

Even when we’re a thousand miles away.

（谢艳明 译）