Du Fu: Evening Moonlight
月夜
今 夜 鄜 州 月
闺 中 只 独 看。
遥 怜 小 儿 奴
未 解 忆 长 安。
香 雾 云 鬟 湿
清 辉 玉 臂 寒。
何 时 倚 虚 幌
双 照 泪 痕 千？
Yue Ye
Jin ye lu zhou yue
Gui zhong zhi du kan.
Yao lian xiao er nu
Wei jie yi chang an.
Xiang wu yun huan shi
Qing hui yu bi han.
He shi yi xu huang
Shuang zhao lei hen qian?
Evening Moonlight
Tonight a Fuzhou moon
My wife and I isolated, in loneliness view it.
Small sons and daughters so far away
So long since they have been here, do not remember any of Chang’an.
From clouds and mists recall her fragrance and moist hair
Arms and skin cool, a pure jade-like radiance.
Feel her presence on the other side of a heavy curtain
Both of us under the reflected light with a thousand traces of tears.
Notes:
Fuzhou: A section within the capital city of Chang’an (Xi’an). At this time Du Fu was under city-arrest, that is, he was not free to travel outside the city gates.
