Su Dongbo's Ci: The Water Melody Song 蘇軾 但願人長久 千里共嬋娟 Poem by Frank Yue

Tune: 'The Water Melody Song' Ci
Title: 'Ah, None Too Soon What A Full Moon! '
- Su Shi (Northern Song Dynasty)
- Translated by Frank C Yue

Ah, none too soon —
What a Full Moon!
I raise my cup of wine
And ask of the Blue Skies:
Tonight, yes, tonight,
In which year of the Celestial Palaces
Is this Evening bright?

I would return by the Wind riding,
But am afraid the mansions wide
And all the jade buildings
Would be too cold in places high in the sky.
When I dance in the clear moonlight
I play with my shadow in delight;
So, I prefer it this way -
In the Secular World to stay.

The Moon slowly turns away from the pavilion red,
Climbs over the fine houses instead;
And silently,
It shines upon a sleepless me —
I should not be sorrowful
That the Moon is round and full
Whilst we have to go our separate ways.
For men, Grief, Joy, Partings and Re-unions will always be present;
For the Moon, there are Cloudy and Clear Skies, Full Moons and Crescents.
Staying happy together forever,
Since the days of old, is an impossible matter.
Let's hope that, live a long life we each would,
And though separated by thousands of mile,
Still we both could
Enjoy together the Full Moon (with a smile) .


'水調歌頭' - 蘇軾

明月幾時有　把酒問青天
不知天上宮闕　今夕是何年
我欲乘風歸去　唯恐瓊樓玉宇　高處不勝寒
起舞弄清影　何似在人間

轉朱閣　低綺戶　照無眠
不應有恨　何事長向別時圓　
人有悲歡離合　月有陰晴圓缺
此事古難全　但願人長久　千里共嬋娟