Xuân Giang Hoa Nguyệt Dạ (春江花月夜)

春江潮水连海平，　　海上明月共潮生。
chūn jiāng cháoshuǐ Lián Hǎipíng, 　　hǎishàng míngyuè gòng cháo shēng .
The tides of spring river rushed to link the calm sea; the bright moon above the sea horizon appeared along with the tides.

　　滟滟随波千万里，　　何处春江无月明。
yàn yàn Suí Bō qiānwàn lǐ, 　　hé chù chūn jiāng wú yuè míng .
Shimmering waves flowed with tides for ten thousands of miles; which part of the spring river did not have the brightness of moon?

　　江流宛转绕芳甸，　　月照花林皆似霰。
jiāng liú Wǎn Zhuǎnrǎo fāng diàn, 　　yuè zhào huā Lín Jiēshì sǎn .
The river turned and wound around the fragrant blooming plain; the moon shone on flowery forest and made them look like simmering hails.

　　空里流霜不觉飞，　　汀上白沙看不见。
kōng lǐ liú shuāng bùjué fēi, 　　tīng shàng bái shā kànbùjiàn .
I was not able to sense the flying movement of the flowing frost moonlight in the air; the white sand on the water bank was not able to be seen.

　　江天一色无纤尘，　　皎皎空中孤月轮。
jiāng tiān yī sè wú xiān chén, 　　jiǎ jiǎ kōngzhōng gū yuè lún .
The river and sky and blended into one color, so pure without one single dust; in the brilliant clear sky hung the solitary moon.

　　江畔何人初见月？　　江月何年初照人？
jiāng pàn hérén chūjiàn yuè? 　　jiāng yuè hé niánchū zhào rén?
When the people by the riverbank first saw the moon? When the moon of the river first shined on people?

　　人生代代无穷已，　　江月年年只相似。
rénshēng dài dài wúqióng yǐ, 　　jiāng yuè niánnián zhǐ xiāngsì .
The generation of human life is endless; year after year, the moon of the river looks alike.

　　不知江月待何人，　　但见长江送流水。
bùzhī jiāng yuè dāi hérén, 　　dàn jiànchángjiāng sòng liúshuǐ
I didn't know whom the river moon awaited, however, I only saw the Yangtze River sending the flowing water away.

　　白云一片去悠悠，　　青枫浦上不胜愁。
báiyún yī piàn qù yōuyōu, 　　qīng fēng pǔ shàng bùshèng chóu .
One white cloud leisurely drifted away; at green maple riverbank, I could not bear the sorrowfulness.

　　谁家今夜扁舟子？　　何处相思明月楼？
shéi jiā jīn yè Biǎn Zhōuzǐ? 　　hé chù xiāngsī míngyuè lóu?
Tonight, whose family is having a traveler sailing in the skiff? Where is the person pining away in a tower under the bright moon?

　　可怜楼上月徘徊，　　应照离人妆镜台。
kělián lóushàng yuè páihuái, 　　yīng zhào lí rén zhuāng jìng Tái .
Pitiful moon paced to and fro above the tower; it should shine on the dress mirror of the one who was left behind.

　　玉户帘中卷不去，　　捣衣砧上拂还来。
yù hù lián zhōng juǎn bù qù, 　　dǎo yī zhēn shàng fú háilái.
The beautiful jade-like chamber's curtain could not roll away the moonlight; on the laundry anvil, the moonlight got wiped away, but it came right back.

　　此时相望不相闻，　　愿逐月华流照君。
cǐshí Xiāng Wàng bù Xiāng Wén, 　　yuàn zhú yuè huá liú zhào jūn .
At this moment, we each both looked at the bright moon, however we were not able to hear each other. I wish I could flow with the moonbeam to shine on you.

　　鸿雁长飞光不度，　　鱼龙潜跃水成文。
hóng yàn cháng fēi guāng bù dù, 　　yúlóng qián yuè shuǐ chéngwén .
Swan geese can fly for long distance, however, they can't reach to the other side of the moonlight. Ichthyosaurs are able to jump deeply into the water, yet, they are not able to swim to you, but to stir up some ripples.

　　昨夜闲潭梦落花，　　可怜春半不还家。
zuóyè xián Tán Mèngluò huā, 　　kělián chūn bàn bù gǎn xiǎng jiā .
Last night I dreamt of flowers falling down on the quiet deep pool. It is so pitiful that now half spring has passed while I still haven't returned home.

　　江水流春去欲尽，　　江潭落月复西斜。
jiāngshuǐ liú chūn qù yù jǐn, 　　jiāng Tán Luòyuè fù xī xié .
The River water flows spring away; the season almost ends. The setting moon of the river pool again slants toward the west.

　　斜月沉沉藏海雾，　　碣石潇湘无限路。
xié yuè chén chén cáng hǎi wù, 　　jié shí Xiāoxiāng wúxiàn lù
The descending moon deeply hid in the ocean mist. Between jié shí and Xiāoxiāng, the distance of road is infinite.

　　不知乘月几人归，　　落月摇情满江树。
bùzhī chéng yuè jǐ rén guī, 　　luò yuè yáo qíng Mǎn jiāng shù .
I don't know how many people returned home by riding the moon; all I saw is the setting moon shook the trees by the river bank with immense emotion.