Translation
By Du Fu (712-770 AD) | 杜甫 |
In Honor of My Retired Friend, Wei | 贈衛八處士 |
- 1 - | |
So much of our lives— we haven’t seen each other | 人生 不相見 |
Moving as two different stars | 動如 參與商 |
Now this night we meet again— and what a night! | 今夕 復 何夕 |
Together at last, by the candle light. | 共此 燈燭光 |
- 2 - | |
We were young and strong— and how many seasons have past? | 少壯 能幾時 |
Now the temple hair on each of us has already grown gray | 鬢髮 各 已蒼 |
And he inquires after former friends— but half of them have turned to ghosts | 訪舊 半 為鬼 |
So we cry, intestines knotting inside. | 驚呼 熱中腸 |
- 3 - | |
When did I know that twenty years had gone by— | 焉知 二十 載 |
Before I could call again on that place where you reside? | 重上 君子堂 |
When we parted last you were not married yet | 昔別 君未婚 |
But now, sons and daughters make a line on my sudden visit | 兒女 忽成行 |
Happy and joyful they greet their father’s friend | 怡然 敬父執 |
And ask of me— from where I came | 問我 來何方 |
The questions and answers haven’t finished yet | 問答 乃未已 |
When you charge your son to gather the wine | 驅兒 羅酒漿 |
- 4 - | |
From the night rain, spring chives are cut— | 夜雨 剪春韭 |
In a meal that’s freshly cooked and mixed with yellow grain | 新炊 間黃粱 |
My friend praises the difficult reunion | 主稱 會麵 難 |
And in one toast we gather up ten goblets of wine— | 一舉 纍 十觴 |
And ten drinks later, still not drunk, | 十觴 亦不醉 |
I appreciate our ancient friendship forever | 感子 故意 長 |
Tomorrow we part across the mountains | 明日 隔 山岳 |
And life and the world are boundless and obscure | 世事 兩茫茫 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
杜甫 | 杜甫 | Dù Fǔ |
贈衛八處士 | 赠卫八处士 | Zèng Wèi bā chǔ shì |
人生不相見， | 人生不相见， | Rén shēng // bù xiāng jiàn, |
動如參與商， | 动如参与商， | Dòng rú // cān yù shāng, |
今夕復何夕？ | 今夕复何夕？ | Jīn xī // fù hé xī? |
共此燈燭光。 | 共此灯烛光。 | Gòng cǐ // dēng zhú guāng. |
少壯能幾時？ | 少壮能几时？ | Shào zhuàng // néng jǐ shí? |
鬢髮各已蒼。 | 鬓发各已苍。 | Bìn fà // gè yǐ cāng. |
訪舊半為鬼， | 访旧半为鬼， | Fǎng jiù // bàn wéi guǐ, |
驚呼熱中腸。 | 惊呼热中肠。 | Jīng hū // rè zhòng cháng. |
焉知二十載， | 焉知二十载， | Yān zhī // èr shí zài, |
重上君子堂。 | 重上君子堂。 | Chóng shàng // jūn zǐ táng. |
昔別君未婚， | 昔别君未婚， | Xī bié // jūn wèi hūn, |
兒女忽成行； | 儿女忽成行; | Ér nǚ // hū chéng xíng; |
怡然敬父執， | 怡然敬父执， | Yí rán // jìng fù zhí, |
問我來何方。 | 问我来何方。 | Wèn wǒ // lái hé fāng. |
問答乃未已， | 问答乃未已， | Wèn dá // nǎi wèi yǐ, |
驅兒羅酒漿。 | 驱儿罗酒浆。 | Qū er // luō jiǔ jiāng. |
夜雨剪春韭， | 夜雨剪春韭， | Yè yǔ // jiǎn chūn jiǔ, |
新炊間黃粱。 | 新炊间黄粱。 | Xīn chuī // jiān huáng liáng. |
主稱會麵難， | 主称会面难， | Zhǔ chēng // huì miàn nán, |
一舉纍十觴； | 一举累十觞; | Yī jǔ // lèi shí shāng; |
十觴亦不醉， | 十觞亦不醉， | Shí shāng // yì bù zuì, |
感子故意長。 | 感子故意长。 | Gǎn zi // gùyì zhǎng. |
明日隔山岳， | 明日隔山岳， | Míng rì // gé shān yuè, |
世事兩茫茫。 | 世事两茫茫。 | Shì shì // liǎng máng máng. |
Literal
Stop Prevent (Du Fu 712-770 AD) | 杜甫 |
Bestow/confer protect eight/all-around place/reside-in/situated scholar/gentleman/minister (protect = Wei, a surname) | 贈衛八處士 |
- 1 - | |
Person/someone-else life no each-other see [person life = human life] [each-other see = to see each other] | 人生不相見， |
Happen/use/act as participate give Shang [participate give = participate in; Shang Dynasty = 16th to 11th BC] | 動如參與商， |
Now night resume what night | 今夕復何夕？ |
Together this lantern candle light | 共此燈燭光。 |
- 2 - | |
Young strong able how-many seasons [how-many + seasons = what time? when?] | 少壯能幾時？ |
Temple-hair hair each already gray | 鬢髮各已蒼。 |
Visit/inquire past/former half become ghosts | 訪舊半為鬼， |
Frighten/startle breathe-sigh hot/restless middle intestines/emotions [Frighten + breathe-sigh = cry out in alarm; hot middle = to be fond of] | 驚呼熱中腸。 |
- 3 - | |
Where/how aware two ten (20) fill-up | 焉知二十載， |
Again go-up you offspring main-hall [you offspring = nobleman] | 重上君子堂。 |
Former-times separate/parted you not-yet married | 昔別君未婚， |
Son girl suddenly complete travel [son girl = sons and daughters; complete travel = embark on a journey] | 兒女忽成行； |
Pleasure certainly respect/salute father grasp [pleasure certainly = happy/joyful] | 怡然敬父執， |
Ask my come what region [what region = where?] | 問我來何方。 |
Ask answer thereupon not-yet finished | 問答乃未已， |
Spur son collect wine liquid [wine liquid = wine] | 驅兒羅酒漿。 |
- 4 - | |
Night rain cut/trim spring scallions | 夜雨剪春韭， |
Fresh cook/meal between yellow grain/millet | 新炊間黃粱。 |
Host praise reunion noodles difficult | 主稱會麵難， |
One raise/lift-up join ten wine-goblets [one raise = in one move] | 一舉纍十觴； |
Ten wine-goblets also not drunk/intoxicated | 十觴亦不醉， |
Feel seed-of ancient opinion forever [ancient opinion = deliberately/on purpose] | 感子故意長。 |
Bright day separate mountain mountain-peak [bright day = tomorrow; mountain mountain-peak = mountain] | 明日隔山岳， |
World affairs both vast boundless/obscure [world affairs = affairs of life / things of the world] | 世事兩茫茫。 |
Year:
2011
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