春花秋月何时了，往事知多少。小楼昨夜又东风，故国不堪回首月明中。
雕阑玉砌应犹在，只是朱颜改。问君能有几多愁，恰似一江春水向东流。
Translation by YK Chan:
Happy Together: In the tune of “Beautiful Lady Yu”
Li Yu (937-978)
Would spring blossom and autumn moon ever stop to recur,
as numerous old stories in me already made a stir?
When balmy air breezed at night into this humble chamber again,
under moonlight I couldn’t bear to recall my fatherland.
The opulent palace at Jinling shalt still stay,
where pretty maids with rouged faces and all but fade.
How much grief can I hold at bay,
when it rolls like the vernal Yangzi on its easterly way?
hi, y k,
nice rendition.
hope you won’t mind my re-posting my attempted translation below:
【虞美人】 南唐·李煜
春花秋月何时了，
往事知多少。
小楼昨夜又东风，
故国不堪回首月明中。
雕栏玉砌应犹在，
只是朱颜改。
问君能有几多愁，
恰似一江春水向东流。
Tune: “Yu Mei Ren” (Fair Lady Yu)
Joy in Seeing Each Other
Li Yu (South Tang)
When will Spring flow’rs and Autumn moon e’er end?
Of past events how many were known then?
Small attic was swept again by east wind last night;
I couldn’t bear recalling my lost Kingdom in clear moon-light!
Carved balustrades and jade ornaments should still be there;
Changed only are the pink faces fair.
How much sorrows can one e’er have unreleased?
Just like the ceaseless Spring river rushing east!
frank