Drinking Alone in the Moonlight

by Li Bai

　　Amongst the flowers I

　　am alone with my pot of wine

　　drinking by myself; then lifting

　　my cup I asked the moon

　　to drink with me, its reflection

　　and mine in the wine cup, just

　　the three of us; then I sigh

　　for the moon cannot drink,

　　and my shadow goes emptily along

　　with me never saying a word;

　　with no other friends here, I can

　　but use these two for company;

　　in the time of happiness, I

　　too must be happy with all

　　around me; I sit and sing

　　and it is as if the moon

　　accompanies me; then if I

　　dance, it is my shadow that

　　dances along with me; while

　　still not drunk, I am glad

　　to make the moon and my shadow

　　into friends, but then when

　　I have drunk too much, we

　　all part; yet these are

　　friends I can always count on

　　these who have no emotion

　　whatsoever; I hope that one day

　　we three will meet again,

　　deep in the Milky Way.

　　Version 2

　　Beneath the blossoms with a pot of wine,

　　No friends at hand, so I poured alone;

　　I raised my cup to invite the moon,

　　Turned to my shadow, and we became three.

　　Now the moon had never learned about drinking,

　　And my shadow had merely followed my form,

　　But I quickly made friends with the moon and my shadow;

　　To find pleasure in life, make the most of the spring.

　　Whenever I sang, the moon swayed with me;

　　Whenever I danced, my shadow went wild.

　　Drinking, we shared our enjoyment together;

　　Drunk, then each went off on his own.

　　But forever agreed on dispassionate revels,

　　We promised to meet in the far Milky Way.

　　Li Po