[updated October 2022]
Raise a Cup of Wine and Ask the Moon
把 酒 问 月
青 天 有 月 来 几 时？
我 今 停 杯 一 问 之。
人 攀 明 月 不 可 得
月 行 却 与 人 相 随。
皎 如 飞 镜 临 丹 阙
绿 烟 灭 尽 清 晖 发。
但 见 宵 从 海 上 来
宁 知 晓 向 云 间 没？
白 免 捣 药 秋 复 春
姮 娥 孤 栖 与 谁 邻？
今 人 不 见 古 时 月
今 月 曾 经 照 古 人。
古 人 今 人 若 流 水
共 看 明 月 皆 如 此。
惟 愿 当 歌 对 酒 时
月 光 长 照 金 樽 里。
Ba Jiu Wen Yue
Qing tian you yue lai ji shi?
Wo jin ting bei yi wen zhi.
Ren pan ming yue bu ke dei
Yue xing que yu ren xiang sui.
Jiao ru fei jing lin dan que
Lu yan mie jin qing hui fa.
Dan jian xiao cong hai shang lai
Ning zhi xiao xiang yun jian mei?
Bai mian dao yao qiu fu chun
Heng e gu qi yu shei lin?
Jin ren bu jian gu shi yue
Jin yue ceng jing zhao gu ren.
Gu ren jin ren ruo liu shui
Gong kan ming yue jie ru ci.
Wei yuan dang ge dui jiu shi
Yue guang chang zhao zun li.
Raise a Cup of Wine and Ask the Moon
When will the moon arrive into the dark sky?
Now I will put down my cup to ask it.
People not able to climb up to the moonlight
The moon circulates and follows humankind.
White and luminous like a flying mirror, it arrives at the palace gate
Green mists dissipate as the moonlight spreads.
Still see the darkness coming from the ocean
Do not know if dawn’s light disappears between the clouds?
The white rabbit pounds out autumn medicine, and again in spring
Moon Goddess lives alone, or near a neighbor?
People of today not able to see the moon like in ancient times
Today’s moon illuminated only those from antiquity.
Ancients and contemporaries like flowing river water
Together watch the same moonlight.
Only hope during wine drinking times to sing lunar songs
For a long time the moon shines to illuminate inside my wine vessel.
Notes:
Moon Goddess: (Chang‘E) Legendary goddess connected to the Mid-Autumn Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. Today many mooncakes are sold around this day. The Moon Rabbit pounds with his mortar and pestle to make the elixir of immortality for her.