Li Bai: Seeing a Friend Off (From Chinese)

Li Bai wrote this poem in 754 while saying goodbye to a good friend in Xuanzheng. The Shuiyang River still encircles what remains of the city's east wall.

Seeing a Friend Off
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Beyond the north wall　 dark green mountains stretch  
　Round the east city　 the clear white river flows¹
Once we two 　have parted in this place
　Lone tumbleweed 　has thousands of miles to blow
A drifting cloud:　the mind of a traveler     　
　Sinking sun:　the mood of old friends going
We wave our hands　taking leave from here　
　Our hesitant horses 　in parting neigh and moan



Notes:
¹- Chinese cities were usually protected by two sets of walls: an inner one, made of stone, and an outer rampart made of rammed earth. Kept between these two was enough farmland to keep the town supplied with food in the event of a siege. It was customary for friends to say their goodbyes at the outer rampart.

The Original:

Han Characters　 送友人　 　 李白　　 青山橫北郭，　　 白水繞東城，　　 此地一為別，　　 孤蓬萬里征. 　　 浮雲遊子意，　 落日故人情，　　 揮手自茲去，　　 蕭蕭班馬鳴。

Medieval Chinese　 sùng1b ghóu3b nyen3b lí3d beik2a tsheing4 sran2b ghweing2a pek1 kwak1      beik2a sywí3c nyàu3 tung1b dzyeing3b tshí3b drì3c et3by ghwi3bx bat3bx kuo1 bung1b màn3a lí3d tsyeing3b bou3b ghwen3a you3b tsí3d ì3d lak1 nyet3b kùo1 nyen3b dzeing3b hwi3a syóu3b dzì3c tsi3d khùo3b sau4 sau4 pan2a má2 meing3a

Modern Chinese　 Sòng yǒurén　　 Libái.　　 Qīngshān héng běi guō,　　 Báishuǐ rào dōngchéng,　　 Cǐdì yī wéi bié,　　 Gū péng wàn lǐ zhēng;　　 Fúyún yóuzǐ yì,　　 Luòrì gùrén qíng,　　 Huīshǒu zì zī qù,　　 Xiāoxiāo bān mǎmíng.

Li Bai: Pouring Myself Drinks Alone By Moonlight (From Chinese)

Pouring Myself Drinks Alone By Moonlight
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman


Amid the flowers — a flask of wine　
　I pour alone — no company
I raise my cup to invite the moon　
　Then moon, my shadow and I are three
But no the moon knows not how to drink 　
　And my shadow does naught but follow me
Yet I quickly make friends of moon and shadow　
　Enjoy what spring there may yet be
I sing — the moon just maunders on　
　I dance —my shadow flails away
Still lucid — we share in common pleasure　
　Blind drunk — each goes his separate way
Let us join to roam beyond all cares　
　And meet afar in the Milky Way





The Original:
(Medieval Chinese transcribed using David Branner's lovely system)

Han Characters　 月下獨酌　 李白　 花間一壺酒， 　 獨酌無相親；　 舉杯邀明月， 　 對影成三人。　 月既不解飲， 　 影徒隨我身；　 暫伴月將影， 　 行樂須及春。　 我歌月徘徊，　 我舞影零亂；　 醒時同交歡，　 醉後各分散。　 永結無情遊，　 相期邈雲漢。

Medieval Chinese　 ngwat3a ghà2 duk1b tsyak3 lí3d beik2a hwa2 kan2b et3by ghuo1 tsóu3b duk1b tsyak3 muo3c sang3 tshen3b kúo3b pei1a au3y meing3a ngwat3a twèi1a éing3a dzyeing3b sam1b nyen3b ngwat3a kì3a pet3a ghèi2a ém3x éing3a duo1 zwi3b ngé1 syen3b dzàm1b bàn1 ngwat3a tsang3 éing3a gheing2a lak1 suo3c gep3x tshywen3b ngé1 ke1 ngwat3a bei1a ghwei1a ngé1 múo3c éing3a leing4 lwàn1 séing4 dzyi3d dung1b kau2 hwan1 tswì3c ghòu1 kak1 pen3a sàn1 wéing3a kat4 muo3c dzeing3b you3b sang3 gi3d mok2 wen3a hàn1

Modern Chinese　 Yuè xià dú zhuó　 Lǐ Bái　 Huā jiān yī hú jiǔ, 　 dú zhuó wú xiāngqīn;　 Jǔ bēi yāo míngyuè, 　 duì yǐng chéng sān rén.　 Yuè jì bù jiě yǐn, 　 yǐng tú suí wǒ shēn;　　 Zàn bàn yuè jiāng yǐng,　　 xínglè xū jí chūn.　 Wǒ gē yuè páihuái,　　 Wó wǔ yǐng língluàn;　 Xǐng shí tóng jiāo huān,　 Zuì hòu gè fēnsàn.　 Yǒng jié wúqíng yóu,　 Xiāngqī miǎo yúnhàn.

Li Bai: On the way down Zhongnan Mountain (From Chinese)

On the way down Zhongnan Mountain, recluse Husi gives me a place to rest and wine to drink.
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear the original in Modern Mandarin pronunciation

Down the green mountain I go at dusk
The mountain moon follows all the way
On gazing back at the path in distance
Green slopes are slits of twilit gray
You lead me off to your farmer cottage
A boy holds a thorn gate open to you
My passing clothes brush greening vines
On a path secluded in emerald bamboo

We talk in delight — what a place for resting
Together we savor a gorgeous wine
Songs we sing of wind through the pines
And cease to sing as the stars decline
I am drunk and you so happy
In rapture forgetting the world and the times
The Original:

下終南山過斛斯山人宿置酒

暮從碧山下，
山月隨人歸；
卻顧所來徑，
蒼蒼橫翠微。
相攜及田家，
童稚開荊扉；
綠竹入幽徑，
青蘿拂行衣。
歡言得所憩，
美酒聊共揮；
長歌吟松風，
曲盡河星稀。
我醉君復樂，
陶然共忘機。

Li Bai: Thought on a Quiet Night (From Classical Chinese)

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)

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.