Li Bai — A famous Romantic Poet

 

江上吟

木兰[1]之枻[2]沙棠舟,

玉箫金管坐两头。

美酒樽[3]中置千斛[4],

载妓随波任去留。

仙人有待乘黄鹤,

海客[5]无心随白鸥。

屈平[6]词赋悬日月,

楚王台榭空山丘。

兴酣[7]落笔摇五岳,

诗成笑傲凌沧洲。

功名富贵若长在,

汉水[8]亦应西北流。

此诗为公元743年李白游江夏时所作。这首诗以江上的遨游起兴,表现了诗人对庸俗、局促的现实的蔑弃,和对自由、美好的生活理想的追求。诗人以屈原自比,抒发胸臆,末尾带着嘲弄的意味,说明富贵功名都是尘俗之物不可能长久。诗人追求的是一种自由的、超脱了世俗功利的生活。

注释:

[1]木兰:即辛夷,香木名。

[2]枻(yì):同“楫”,舟旁划水的工具,即船桨。

[3]樽:盛酒的器具。

[4]千斛:形容船中置酒极多;斛:古时十斗为一斛。

[5]海客:海边的人。

[6]屈平:指屈原,名平,战国末期楚国大诗人。

[7]兴酣:诗兴浓烈。

[8]汉水:发源于陕西省汉中市宁强县,东南流经湖北省襄阳市,至汉口汇入长江。汉水向西北倒流。此处比喻不可能的事情。

Song on the River[1]

In a ship of spice-wood with unsinkable oars,

Musicians at both ends,we drift along the shores.

We have sweet wine with singing girls to drink our fill,

And so the waves may carry us where’er they will.

Immortals could not fly without their yellow crane;

Unselfish men might follow white gulls to the main.

The verse ofQ u Ping[2]shines as bright as sun and moon,

While palaces of Chu vanish like dreams at noon.

Seeing my pen in verve,even the mountains shake;

Hearing my laughter proud,the seaside hermits wake.

If worldly fame and wealth were things to last forever,

Then northwestward would turn the eastward-flowing river.

注释:

[1]In Hubei Province.

[2]Qu Yuan(340–270 B.C.)was a loyal minister and great poet in the state of Chu.