棄我去者昨日之日不可留
亂我心者今日之日多煩憂
長風萬里送秋雁
對此可以酣高樓
蓬萊文章建安骨
中間小謝又清發
俱懷逸興壯思飛
欲上青天覽日月
抽刀斷水水更流
舉懷銷愁愁更愁
人生在世不稱意
明朝散發弄扁舟
Farewell to Uncle Yun at Xuanzhou Li Bai (701-762) 江紹倫譯
What has deserted me yesterday I would not retain
What is disturbing me today its worry will not stay
See how wild geese ride the autumn wind ten thousand li away
A grand sight that calls for rounds of wine to celebrate
While your writings equal the powers of ancient poet saints
My essays are like little Xie’s prose simple and plain
We both share the same ambitions aiming high
Wishing to pick the moon down from the sky
I try to sever the river with my sword its torrents speed up the flow
I try to drown my sorrows with wine more sorrows come on tow
My life in this world is not without despair
Tomorrow let’s sail our boat freely with loosened hair
【宣州謝眺樓餞別校書叔雲】
棄我去者﹐昨日之日不可留。
亂我心者﹐今日之日多煩懮﹗
長風萬裡送秋雁﹐對此可以酣高樓。
蓬萊文章建安骨﹐中間小謝又清發。
俱懷逸興壯思飛﹐欲上青天覽明月。
抽刀斷水水更流﹐舉杯銷愁愁更愁。
人生在世不稱意﹐明朝散發弄扁舟。
A Farewell to Secretary Shuyun at the Xietiao
Villa in Xuanzhou Li Bai
Forsaking me, yesterday was gone though I had my share.
Confounding my heart, today’s loaded with even more care!
The long wind bids farewell the autumn wild geese flying in line;
On this tall mansion we’re enjoying the view with our wine.
The great Han and Jian An writers during dynastic decline,
With Xietiao’s fresh style set literary examples fine.
Inspired by exalted thoughts and buoyed by enlight’ning tune,
We all long to soar the blue skies and embrace the bright moon!
I draw m’sword to cut running waters, still the waters flow;
I lift m’cup to drown sorrows, still sorrows sink to new low.
The world’s not going my way (– I can’t realize my true me);
Tomorrow, I will untie m’hair and m’boat, I will be free!
(tr. frank c w yue)