春江潮水連海平        海上明月共潮生
灩灩隨波千萬裏        何處春江無月明

A Moonlit Night by the River in Spring    by Zhang Ruo Xu             江紹倫譯

In spring the river rises to level with the sea
The moon rises together with sea tides as should be
Following the waves she travels a thousand li
Where’er the river flows there she is

江畔何人初見月        江月何年初照人
人生代代無窮已        江月年年望相似

Who first saw the moon rise by riverside
Which year was man first graced by moonshine
Generation after generation man change and thrive
Year in year out the moon looks but alike

不知江月待何人        但見長江送流水
白雲一片去悠悠        青楓浦上不勝愁

To whom the moon specially bestows her light we do not know
We see ever so clearly the Yangtze River’s incessant flow
Up in sky patches of white clouds leisurely float
Down on earth green maples cling to their sadness untold

昨夜閑潭夢落花        可憐春半不還家
江水流春去欲盡        江潭落月複西斜

I dreamed last night to see flowers falling on water at ease
And pity myself this late spring hour still away from thee
The river carrying all feelings of spring will not reverse its flow
But our reclining moon even dwelling in water will maintain her grow

斜月沉沉藏海霧        碣石瀟湘無限路
不知乘月幾人歸        落月搖情滿江樹

A partial moon striving to shine on can brighten a misty sea
Her luster on crimson boulders will beautify the surroundings for all to see
I know not how many of my loved ones will be home the next moon
I know for sure all trees here will boast her love very soon