Laijon Liu (06/27/1975 / Dalian, China)

Please Drink Wine
Li Po
Translated Laijon Liu 20091031

Don’t you see, the yellow river falls from sky
And into the ocean never back.
Don’t you see, we grieve for our gray hair
Black in the morning, snowy by dusk.
When we are at our best, we must enjoy
Don’t hold the unfilled cup, and stare at white moon.
Heaven grants us talents, we’ll have a time to use,
Even all golds are spent, we’ll still be recompensed.
Let’s boil lamb, slaughter bull, and prepare a feast,
For all of us, everyone must drink three hundred cups!
Mr. Dan! Brother Qiu! Continue drink! Don’t stop!

Let me sing you a feast song,
so you be pleased and drink more.

Bell and drum, and silver plates
Never make this valuable time,
I’d rather drink to full,
Fall asleep, and never awake.
All the past saints all lonely in grief,
Only the good drinkers forever famed.
King of Chen set his party feast,
A pot of wine cost a thousand coins.
Please do not say we are not rich,
Today we must spend all for a toast.
You have a beautiful horse,
And a thousand gold piece coat,
Let’s trade them for good wines
And drink away all our sorrow!

Note:
This poem is one of the poems that was done by Li Bai while drunk, I believe, which tells much about his feeling at the time when he drinking with his friends master Yin and scholar Danqiu. Li Bai was a poet that he wrote with his rare talents, he did not have to work hard. Readers could smell his wine from the verses from this poem, the way he opened up his inner feeling, his sorrow, and positive self-view about his ability, his non-material valued life view, a little pessimistic view about the world.

Master Yin and Scholar Danqiu: Li Bai’s friends.
King Chen: a talented poet of Han Dynasty, the second son of Minister Cao Cao.


Chinese:

将 进 酒
李 白

君 不 见 ， 黄 河 之 水 天 上 来 ，
奔 流 到 海 不 复 回 .
君 不 见 ， 高 堂 明 镜 悲 白 发 ，
朝 如 青 丝 暮 成 雪 。
人 生 得 意 须 尽 欢 ，
莫 使 金 樽 空 对 月 。
天 生 我 材 必 有 用 ，
千 金 散 尽 还 复 来 。
烹 羊 宰 牛 且 为 乐 ，
会 须 一 饮 三 百 杯 。
岑 夫 子 ! 丹 丘 生 !
将 进 酒 ! 君 莫 停 !
与 君 歌 一 曲 ，
请 君 为 我 侧 耳 听 。
钟 鼓 馔 玉 不 足 贵 ，
但 愿 长 醉 不 愿 醒 。
古 来 圣 贤 皆 寂 寞 ，
惟 有 饮 者 留 其 名 。
陈 王 昔 时 宴 平 乐 ，
斗 酒 十 千 恣 欢 谑 。
主 人 何 为 言 少 钱 ，
径 须 沽 取 对 君 酌 。
五 花 马 ， 千 金 裘 ，
呼 儿 将 出 换 美 酒 ，
与 尔 同 销 万 古 愁 .