Ouyang Xiu: Jade Tower in Spring: No. 8

 

Jade Tower in the Spring: No. 8

玉 楼 春
(8)
两 翁 相 遇 逢 佳 节。
正 值 柳 绵 飞 似 雪。
便 须 豪 饮 敌 青 春。
莫 对 新 花 羞 白 发。
人 生 聚 散 如 弦 筈。
老 去 风 情 尤 惜 别。
大 家 金 盏 倒 垂 莲。
一 任 西 楼 低 晓 月。

 

Yu Lou Chun

(8)

Liang weng xiang yu feng jia jie
Zheng zhi liu mian fei si xue
Bian xu hao yin di qing chun
Mo dui xin hua xiu bai fa.

Ren sheng ju san ru xian kuo
Lao qu feng xi you xi bie.
Da jia jin zhan dao chui lian
Yi ren xi lou di xiao yue.

 

Jade Tower in Spring: No. 8

Two old men meet each other at a springtime festival
Time of year when the willow tree seeds fly like snow
Show off our drinking prowess this late in life
Not ashamed of our white hair being opposite the flowers.

Human experiences gather, separate, and then meet again like
the strings on musical instruments
The old remember errors and successes, treasure every moment together.
Everyone turns the small golden and lotus-decorated cups upside-down
On the western tower, we can stay here with the moon until daybreak.