月下獨酌 Drinking Alone with the Moon

李白 Li Bai

花間一壺酒，

From a pot of wine among the flowers

huā jiān yī hú jiǔ ，

獨酌無相親；

I drank alone. There was no one with me –

dú zhuó wú xiāng qīn ；

舉杯邀明月，

Till, raising my cup, I asked the bright moon

jǔ bēi yāo míng yuè ，

對影成三人。

To bring me my shadow and make us three.

duì yǐng chéng sān rén 。

月既不解飲，

Alas, the moon was unable to drink

yuè jì bù jiě yǐn ，

影徒隨我身；

And my shadow tagged me vacantly;

yǐng tú suí wǒ shēn ；

暫伴月將影，

But still for a while I had these friends

zàn bàn yuè jiāng yǐng ，

行樂須及春。

To cheer me through the end of spring....

xíng lè xū jí chūn 。

我歌月徘徊，

I sang. The moon encouraged me.

wǒ gē yuè pái huái ，

我舞影零亂；

I danced. My shadow tumbled after.

wǒ wǔ yǐng líng luàn ；

醒時同交歡，

As long as I knew, we were boon companions.

xǐng shí tóng jiāo huān ，

醉後各分散。

And then I was drunk, and we lost one another.

zuì hòu gè fēn sàn 。

永結無情遊，

...Shall goodwill ever be secure?

yǒng jié wú qíng yóu ，

相期邈雲漢。

I watch the long road of the River of Stars.

xiāng qī miǎo yún hàn 。

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