12月12日

〈夜行船〉秋思
元 馬致遠 ( 1250~1321 )

百歲光陰如夢蝶，
重回首往事堪嗟。
今日春來，
明朝花謝。
急罰盞夜闌燈滅。

──選自《東籬樂府》

December 12

Sailing at Night, Autumn Thoughts
Ma Zhiyuan (1250 - 1321, Yuan Dynasty)
English translation: You Zai and William Chong

Living a hundred years of life,
Just like dreaming to be a butterfly;
Looking at the past, one cannot help but sigh;
Today, we welcome the beginning of Spring,
Tomorrow, we see the flowers wither;
Quickly finishing up the wine,
As night falls, the lights burn out.

── from Dongli Yuefu (The Eastern Fence Poetry)