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Bring In the Wine
English Poetic Translation
Have you not seen the Yellow River flowing from the heights of heaven,
Racing to the ocean tides, and never turning back again?
Have you not seen the mirror in the lofty hall lamenting silver hair,
Like silken threads at morning light, turned into snow by evening air?
When life is prosperous and bright, let pleasure reach its utmost bound,
Do not allow the golden cup to face the moon without a sound.
Since Heaven made the talents that we bear, they surely have their use,
Though thousands of gold pieces vanish, wealth will find its own release.
So roast the sheep and slaughter oxen, let us revel while we may,
And drink three hundred cups of wine at once to chase the hours away!
Master Cen, and you, Scholar Danqiu,
Bring in the wine, friends, do not stop the flow!
Let me sing a single song for both of you,
And I pray you bend your ears and listen low:
What are bells and drums and jade-like food that we should hold them dear?
Better to be drunk forevermore and never wake to hear!
From ancient times the greatest sages all have passed away unknown,
While only those who drank their fill have left their names alone.
Prince Chen once feasted at Pingle Palace in the days gone by,
Drinking wine at ten thousand cash a cask, with laughter mounted high.
Why should the host complain today that funds are running low?
Go straightway buy and pour the wine, and let the liquor flow!
My five-flower steed, my coat of fur worth thousand pieces of gold,
Call out the servants to exchange them for the wine we hold,
That you and I together may dissolve ten thousand ages' woe!
Racing to the ocean tides, and never turning back again?
Have you not seen the mirror in the lofty hall lamenting silver hair,
Like silken threads at morning light, turned into snow by evening air?
When life is prosperous and bright, let pleasure reach its utmost bound,
Do not allow the golden cup to face the moon without a sound.
Since Heaven made the talents that we bear, they surely have their use,
Though thousands of gold pieces vanish, wealth will find its own release.
So roast the sheep and slaughter oxen, let us revel while we may,
And drink three hundred cups of wine at once to chase the hours away!
Master Cen, and you, Scholar Danqiu,
Bring in the wine, friends, do not stop the flow!
Let me sing a single song for both of you,
And I pray you bend your ears and listen low:
What are bells and drums and jade-like food that we should hold them dear?
Better to be drunk forevermore and never wake to hear!
From ancient times the greatest sages all have passed away unknown,
While only those who drank their fill have left their names alone.
Prince Chen once feasted at Pingle Palace in the days gone by,
Drinking wine at ten thousand cash a cask, with laughter mounted high.
Why should the host complain today that funds are running low?
Go straightway buy and pour the wine, and let the liquor flow!
My five-flower steed, my coat of fur worth thousand pieces of gold,
Call out the servants to exchange them for the wine we hold,
That you and I together may dissolve ten thousand ages' woe!
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
君不見黃河之水天上來，奔流到海不復迴。
君不見高堂明鏡悲白髮，朝如青絲暮成雪。
人生得意須盡歡，莫使金樽空對月。
天生我材必有用，千金散盡還復來。
烹羊宰牛且爲樂，會須一飲三百盃。
岑夫子，丹丘生，將進酒，君莫停。
與君歌一曲，請君爲我側耳聽。
鐘鼓饌玉不足貴，但願長醉不願醒。
古來聖賢皆寂寞，惟有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時宴平樂，斗酒十千恣讙謔。
主人何爲言少錢，徑須沽取對君酌。
五花馬，千金裘，呼兒將出換美酒，與爾同銷萬古愁。
君不見高堂明鏡悲白髮，朝如青絲暮成雪。
人生得意須盡歡，莫使金樽空對月。
天生我材必有用，千金散盡還復來。
烹羊宰牛且爲樂，會須一飲三百盃。
岑夫子，丹丘生，將進酒，君莫停。
與君歌一曲，請君爲我側耳聽。
鐘鼓饌玉不足貴，但願長醉不願醒。
古來聖賢皆寂寞，惟有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時宴平樂，斗酒十千恣讙謔。
主人何爲言少錢，徑須沽取對君酌。
五花馬，千金裘，呼兒將出換美酒，與爾同銷萬古愁。
Philological Direct Translation
Do you not see the Yellow River waters coming from the sky, rushing to the sea and never returning?
Do you not see the high hall bright mirrors grieving white hair, morning like black silk evening becoming snow.
Life achieving satisfaction must exhaust joy, do not let the golden goblet empty face the moon.
Heaven born my talent certainly has use, a thousand gold scattered completely still returns again.
Cooking sheep slaughtering ox temporarily make pleasure, must encounter a single drink three hundred cups.
Master Cen, Scholar Danqiu, bringing in the wine, you do not stop.
For you singing one tune, please you for me turn the ear listen.
Bells and drums delicacies are not sufficient to value, only desire long drunk not desire awake.
From antiquity sages and worthies are all lonely, only there are drinkers who leave their names.
Prince Chen former times banqueting Pingle, a peck of wine ten thousand cash freely rejoicing and joking.
Host why say little coin, straightway must buy and fetch facing you pour.
Five-flower horses, thousand-gold furs, calling sons about to take out exchange fine wine, with you together melt ten thousand ages sorrow.
Do you not see the high hall bright mirrors grieving white hair, morning like black silk evening becoming snow.
Life achieving satisfaction must exhaust joy, do not let the golden goblet empty face the moon.
Heaven born my talent certainly has use, a thousand gold scattered completely still returns again.
Cooking sheep slaughtering ox temporarily make pleasure, must encounter a single drink three hundred cups.
Master Cen, Scholar Danqiu, bringing in the wine, you do not stop.
For you singing one tune, please you for me turn the ear listen.
Bells and drums delicacies are not sufficient to value, only desire long drunk not desire awake.
From antiquity sages and worthies are all lonely, only there are drinkers who leave their names.
Prince Chen former times banqueting Pingle, a peck of wine ten thousand cash freely rejoicing and joking.
Host why say little coin, straightway must buy and fetch facing you pour.
Five-flower horses, thousand-gold furs, calling sons about to take out exchange fine wine, with you together melt ten thousand ages sorrow.