Thought on a Quiet Night
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Before my bed tonight the moon shone down
I took it instead for frost upon the ground
I lift my head watching the mountain moon
I lower my head missing my northern home
The Original:
(Medieval Chinese transcribed using David Branner's system)
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Before my bed tonight the moon shone down
I took it instead for frost upon the ground
I lift my head watching the mountain moon
I lower my head missing my northern home
The Original:
(Medieval Chinese transcribed using David Branner's system)
| Han Characters 靜夜思 李白 牀前明月光， 疑是地上霜。 舉頭望山月， 低頭思故鄉。 | Medieval Chinese dzéing3b yà3 si3d lí3d beik2a dzrang3 dzan4 meing3a ngwat3a kwang1 ngi3d dzyí3b drì3c dzyàng3 srang3 kúo3b dou1 màng3 sran2b ngwat3a tei4 dou1 si3d kùo1 hang3 | Modern Chinese Jìng yè sī Lǐ bái Chuáng qián míng yuè guāng, Yí shì dì shàng shuāng. Jǔ tóu wàng shān yuè, Dī tóu sī gù xiāng. |
Posts
it's 举头望明月 not 舉頭望山月
ReplyDeleteThat is the case in the well-known and oft-quoted version of the poem. However most pre-modern anthologies of Li Bai (as well as the 四庫全書) record 山月. As for "举头" I fail to see why I should replace my traditional characters with simplified ones.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting！If you guys could read Chinese，then read on！ Your discussion on 床 or 牀， here are some clues：
ReplyDelete古诗十九首
古诗十九首：组诗名。汉无名氏作（其中有八首《玉台新咏》题为汉枚乘作，后
人多疑其不确）。非一时一人所为，一般认为大都出于东汉末年。南朝梁萧统合为一
组，收入《文选》，题为《古诗十九首》。内容多写夫妇朋友间的离愁别绪和士人的
彷徨失意，有些作品表现出追求富贵和及时行乐的思想。语言朴素自然，描写生动真
切，在五言诗的发展上有重要地位。（《辞海》１９８９年版）
之二
青青河畔草，郁郁园中柳。
盈盈楼上女，皎皎当窗牖。
娥娥红粉妆，纤纤出素手。
昔为娼家女，今为荡子夫。
荡子行不归，空床难独守。
之十九
明月何皎皎，照我罗床纬。
忧愁不能寐，揽衣起徘徊。
客行虽云乐，不如早旋归。
出户独彷徨，愁思当告谁！
引领还入房，泪下沾裳衣。