Du Fu: Evening Banquet

Evening Banquet at the Zuo Shi Family Compound

夜 宴 左 氏 庄

林 风 纤 月 落
衣 露 静 琴 张。
暗 水 流 花 径
春 星 带 草 堂。

检 书 烧 烛 短
看 剑 引 杯 长。
诗 罢 闻 吴 咏
扁 舟 意 不 忘。

Ye Yan Zuo Shi Zhuang

Lin feng xian yue luo
Yi lu jing qin zhang
An shui liu hua jing
Chun xin dai cao tang.

Jian shu shao zhu duan
Kan jian yin bei chang.
Shi ba wen wu yong
Pian zhou yi bu wang.

Evening Banquet at the Zuo Shi Family Compound

Crescent moon sets into a windy forest
Clothes collect dew, into the silence qin sounds on display.
Hidden water flowing along a flowered footpath
Spring grass shelter, star constellation’s belt coming to earth.

Writings based on pantomimes, candles burn down to their ends
Quickly drain our cups and grab the swords.
My poem ends, listen to the Wu poetic chants and stories
Let us not forget the meanings of the security and peace needed
to enjoy small boats.

Notes:

Qin: An ancient stringed Chinese instrument, similar to a zither.

Wu: An ancient kingdom during the Zhou Dynasty.  Located in the Zhejiang Province area of today.

Commentary:

Yes, even in our modern times, “Let us not forget the meanings of the security and peace needed to enjoy small boats.”