李煜：虞美人
Li Yu: to the tune “Lady Yu” (transl. Hans Frankel)
春花秋月何時了？往事知多少？
Spring blossoms and autumn moon – when will they end? How much has happened in the past!
小樓昨夜又東風。故國不堪回首明月中。
On the balcony last night, again an east wind, the moon was so bright, I couldn’t bear to look toward my old kingdom.
雕欄玉砌應猶在。只是朱顏改。
The carved galleries and jade steps must still be there, only the rosy cheeks have changed.
問君能有幾多愁。恰似一江春水向東流。
I ask you, how much sorrow can there be? It’s just like a whole river full of eastward flow in spring.
