Thursday, 14 March 2013

李白 君不見﹐黃河之水天上來 Don't you see, the Yellow River's waters come from heav'n divine

【將進酒     唐李白 
   
君不見﹐黃河之水天上來﹐奔流到海不復回?

君不見﹐高堂明鏡悲白發﹐朝如青絲暮成雪?

人生得意須盡歡﹐莫使金樽空對月﹗

天生我材必有用﹐千金散盡還復來。

烹羊宰牛且為樂﹐會須一飲三百杯﹗

岑夫子﹐丹丘生﹐將進酒﹐君莫停﹗

與君歌一曲﹐請君為我側耳聽﹗

鐘鼓饌玉不足貴﹐但願長醉不願醒﹗

古來聖賢皆寂寞﹐惟有飲者留其名﹗

陳王昔時宴平樂﹐斗酒十千恣歡謔。

主人何為言少錢﹖徑須沽取對君酌。

五花馬﹐千金裘﹐呼兒將出換美酒﹐

與爾同消萬古愁﹗

 ZHANG JIN JIU ("O Bring in the wine!)
(Folk-song-style verse) 
-- by Li Bai (701-762)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue


Don't you see, the Yellow River's waters come from heav'n divine,

They rush out to the sea, and to return at all decline?                     

Don't you see, the bright mirrors lament our parents' white hair,

It's silk-black in the morn, but turns snow-white at dusk with care?

Dance and be merry when the world is playing your tune --

Don't you raise an empty, golden wine cup to the moon!

Each of us was given talents, and ne'er born in vain --

Spend a thousand gold coins, and they would turn up again.

Roast the goat, slaughter the calf, and let's all wine and dine!

Altogether, we should drink three hundred cups of wine.

Old Master Cen and young Scholar Yuan, come and drink up.

O Bring in the wine! And don't you e'er put down the cup!
 

I'll sing you a song, my friends dear.

Please lend me an attentive ear :

Treasure not your fine music and rare cuisine in vain.

In drunkenness forever, I would rather remain!

Since time began, lonely are the sages and thinkers.

Great men may fade from history, but not the great drinkers! 

When the Poet Prince feasted at Pingle and made mirth,

Ten thousand coins, a cask of exquisite wine was worth.

That he's short of money, a host should never complain.

Sell my belongings, for supreme must hearty drinks reign!

My dear swift, dappled horse of note,

My rare thousand-gold-coin fur coat --

Go, tell my son to pawn them to buy us fine wine,

So I may drown endless sorrows of mine with thine!

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