The Sad Zither

锦瑟

作者：李商隐

翻译：许渊冲

Why should the sad zither have fiftystrings?

Each string, each strain evokes butvanished springs:

Dim morning dream to be a butterfly;

Amorous heart poured out in cuckoo’s cry.

In moonlit pearls see tears in mermaid’seyes;

From sunburnt jade in Blue Field let smokerise.

Such feeling cannot be recalled again:

It seemed lost even when it was felt then.

锦瑟

李商隐（813-858）

锦瑟无端五十弦，一弦一柱思华年。

庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶，望帝春心托杜鹃。

沧海月明珠有泪，蓝田日暖玉生烟。

此情可待成追忆，只是当时已惘然。