Year
Translation
Du Fu (712-770) | 杜甫 |
Moonlit Night | 月夜 |
This night, the Fuzhou moon— | 今夜 鄜州月 |
My wife is gazing, alone in her room. | 閨中 只獨看 |
Far away, I miss my sons and daughters, | 遙憐 小兒女 |
Stuck here, reminiscing from Chang An. | 未解 憶長安 |
The aromatic dew now dampens my wife’s hair, | 香霧 雲鬟濕 |
As pure moonlight shines on her arms like jewels, trembling in the cold. | 清輝 玉臂寒 |
When will we lean against the curtain, | 何時 倚虛幌 |
Illuminated as before, this couple, the marks of our tears all dry? | 雙照 淚痕乾 |
Notes:
1. In the August of 756, Du Fu fled from his home to flee from a riot and settled the family in the Fu Province. Later, he decided to go working for the new Tang emperor, Suzong. He was caught by the rebel army on the way and grounded in the Tang Dynasty capital, Chang An.
2. Du Fu was homesick and wrote this poem. However, he wrote from his wife’s perspective and it became indirect and more sentimental.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
杜甫 | 杜甫 | Dù Fǔ |
月夜 | 月夜 | Yuè yè |
今夜鄜州月， | 今夜鄜州月， | Jīn yè fū zhōu yuè, |
閨中只獨看。 | 闺中只独看。 | Guī zhōng zhǐ dú kàn. |
遙憐小兒女， | 遥怜小儿女， | Yáo lián xiǎo ér nǚ, |
未解憶長安。 | 未解忆长安。 | Wèi jiě yì cháng ān. |
香霧雲鬟濕， | 香雾云鬟湿， | Xiāng wù yún huán shī, |
清輝玉臂寒。 | 清辉玉臂寒。 | Qīng huī yù bì hán. |
何時倚虛幌， | 何时倚虚幌， | Hé shí yǐ xū huǎng, |
雙照淚痕乾。 | 双照泪痕干。 | Shuāng zhào lèi hén gān. |
Literal Notes
杜甫 | Birchleaf-pear-tree Man =Du Fu(712-770) |
月夜 | Moon night [Moon night=moonlit night] |
今夜鄜州月， | Today/current/present/this/now night Fu State/province/administrative-division moon [Fu State/province/administrative-division=Fuzhou, a county now in Shaanxi] |
閨中只獨看。 | Boudoir/lady’s-chamber inside/within/among only/merely/just/but alone/single/solely/only look/watch/guard/take-care-of [Boudoir/lady’s-chamber inside/within/among=here refers to the poet’s wife] |
遙憐小兒女， | Distant/remote/far/faraway to-pity/sympathize small/young/tiny son daughter/girl |
未解憶長安。 | Not-yet/did-not/have-not explain/understand/know/emancipate/dissolve/solve/ remove recall/recollect/memory/remember Chang/long An/peaceful [Not-yet explain = unsolved] |
香霧雲鬟濕， | Fragrant/aromatic/sweet-smelling/perfume fog/mist cloud a-knot-of-hair-on-top-of-head wet/moist [Meaning: The wife’s hair was moistened by the evening dews.] |
清輝玉臂寒。 | Clear/quiet/pure/distinct splendor/shine-upon/brightness/brilliance/luster jade/precious-stone/gem arm cold/tremble/poor/chilly [jade=the fine skin] |
何時倚虛幌， | What/where/how/which time/season/period lean-on/rely-on weak/in-vain/false/empty/hollow façade/curtain/pretense/cloth-screen [What time = when], [weak/in-vain/void façade/curtain/pretense=a gauzy curtain under the light (moonlight)] |
雙照淚痕乾。 | Double/pair/two/couple/both shine/illumine/reflect/as-before tear stains/trace/mark/scar dry/clean/in-vain [Meaning: One day when we two reunite again under the moon, we won’t cry any more.] |