part of one old chinese poem

[imr05]

　　水调歌头

　　

　　　　明月几时有？把酒问青天。不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年？我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人间？

　　　　转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

===================================

when should the moon come to accompany?

invited the god to have a drunk question.

how the time fly in the heaven

where the year stay in the sky?

I will drive along with wind,

shiver gather to form the crystal building

===================================

as I have little time to finish it,I only give part of my translation to all of the friends who like this poem. if one of you like to translate it , please mail to me.

zgyao@imr.ac.cn

[HashiriKata]

It's an amazing translation! Without being told of the original poem, I would be inclined to think it's your original creation. Are you sure it's a translation?

[imr05]

maybe I have do more than just to translate the poem

you know,when you love some things,you just want to try your best to make others to like it.

so I wanta know whether you like it or not. and I guess you are chinese , so where are you from? do you like to finish it?

[skylee]

Here is another translation ->

Will a moon so bright ever arise again?

Drink a cupful of wine and ask of the sky.

I don't know where the palace gate of heaven is,

Or even the year in which tonight slips by.

I want to return riding the whirl-wind! But I

Feel afraid that this heaven of jasper and jade

Lets in the cold, its palaces rear so high.

I shall get up and dance with my own shadow.

From life endured among men how far a cry!

Round the red pavilion

Slanting through the lattices

Onto every wakeful eye,

Moon, why should you bear a grudge, O why

Insist in time of separation so th fill the sky?

Men know joy and sorow, parting and reunion;

The moon lacks lustre, brightly shines; is al, is less.

Perfection was never easily come by.

Though miles apart, could men but live for ever

Dreaming they shared this moonlight endlessly!

(Tr. A. Ayling & D. Mackintosh) (source)

[imr05]

I know that there are some versions for this poem,but I really don't like them.

[Quest]

imr05, no offense, but your translation could be better..

[HashiriKata]

imr05,

I'm glad you took my light hearted comment in good humour. With poetry, I think we are allowed to translate it "our way" and to be not entirely happy with other interpretations.

No, I'm not Chinese but I like the poem as well. I wanted to rise to your challenge and translate the remaining of the poem but in the end, I decided to "translate" only the bit I like the way I like, just for fun, as you can see:

不应有恨

何事长向别时圆

人有悲欢离合

月有阴晴圆缺

此事古难全

但愿人长久

千里共婵娟

C'mon baby, please don't be so sad

Even the moon knows we'll be together again

Our parting is only temporary

And is only as natural as the moon would come and wane

C'est la vie baby!

Just hope that no matter how far we are from each other

The beauty of the moon will always bind us together.

[randall_flagg]

HashiriKata, I've seen a plethora of translations for this poem, but your's tops them all! Honestly, I lllllike it!

[imr05]

Quest

so could you give me some useful advice.I'd like to prettify it just as it should be.

[chenpv]

And is only as natural as the moon would come and wane

And is only as natural as the moon would come and WOE......

and you sure it was not that 'levee' in the US?

[imr05]

HashiriKata

so cute baby!

I find so hard to choose the word to continue translate the poem. and you find the best part of the poem to do, I think is not fair.

[miss_China_so_much]

when should the moon come to accompany?

invited the god to have a drunk question.

how the time fly in the heaven

where the year stay in the sky?

I will drive along with wind,

shiver gather to form the crystal building

imr05, you are pretty good! Actually your translation is one of the best I've seen. The one Skylee quoted is literally accurate but I prefer yours because you are very close to the 意境 of the poem.

HashiriKata, please allow me to dislike yours! You turned a fine classical Chinese poem into some modern, cheesy lyrics for a crap pop song.

[Quest]

Quest

so could you give me some useful advice.I'd like to prettify it just as it should be.

The emperor's naked...

I am afraid, so was everyone else..

[randall_flagg]

I was thinking the same thing, quest. So who should be the little boy to tell him?

[HashiriKata]

HashiriKata, please allow me to dislike yours! You turned a fine classical Chinese poem into some modern, cheesy lyrics for a crap pop song.

You've caught me on a day I'm feeling generous, so your wish is granted!

[imr05]

miss_China_so_much

you are so kind to praise me. one of the greatest man Confucius said " I feel too [very] happy to meet the friend far awy to come." [有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？] you make me guess that I also have the friend I never know.

we appreciate the same beauty, even we cann't get hold of it.

your ID is very interesting. I think if you'd like be a friend of mine, I will beg your visit to china. you see when you miss it , you may also lose it.

[[欧阳江]]

[1]明月几时有？[2]把酒问青天。

[3]不知天上宫阙，[4]今夕是何年？

[5]我欲乘风归去，[6]又恐琼楼玉宇，[7]高处不胜寒。

[8]起舞弄清影，[9]何似在人间？

「明月几时有？把酒问青天。」Try: 「把酒问青天，明月几时有？」

「天上宫阙」Lunar Palace (月宫)

「今夕」今天晚上

「琼楼玉宇」Building of jade (琼＝玉，宇＝楼)

「处」Often refers to "place" [地方] in written Chinese

「不胜」承受不了 Can not endure

「弄」Admire, enjoy

「何似」还不如 Not as good as

[2] Rise · some wine · ask · clear sky

[1] Clear moon · when · will it be [appear]?

[3] Do not know · [in] Lunar Palace

[4] This evening · is · what · time

[5] I · wish · ride the wind · back [to Lunar Palace]

[6] Also · dread · [a] palace of Jade

[7] [at such a] high place · can not endure · [the] cold

[8] Start dancing · admire [my] · clear · shadow

[9] How can [the Lunar Palace] be · [as good as] on Earth?

I also like to say that I am thrilled to see all the great support our new forum member has received!

I am proud to be a part of a forum with so many supportive and helpful individuals! I mean with all the great feedback this one received I am sure the next newcomer will be more than happy to share his ideas.

Great work

[HashiriKata]

My thanks to [欧阳江] for very useful gloss, since even if we dig into dictionaries, it's not always possible to find the kinds of explanations needed here.

And as you put it, help and support are what's needed for members to share their ideas. On the other hand, although we are entitled to our likes or dislikes, rude words such as "crap" towards other members' are completely umprovoked and uncalled for. Someone should bang their head on the wall and repeat the word "manners" 100 times before they post again!

[miss_China_so_much]

Someone should bang their head on the wall and repeat the word "manners" 100 times before they post again!

You mean like this: :wall ......?

I didn't mean to insult you. Of course you can translate whatever you want.

[miss_China_so_much]

you make me guess that I also have the friend I never know.

Sure you are more than welcome to be my friend. I love poetry! 苏轼 is my all time favourite. I am Chinese but I've been living outside China for a good few years. It's nearly a mission impossible for me here to find someone who shares the love of Chinese poetry with me.