The Ornamental Zither
錦瑟 · Three Hundred Tang Poems
Original Chinese text from Chinese Wikisource (public domain). The translation is machine-made and may contain errors. · Original text ↗
The Ornamental Zither
The brocade zither, without reason, has fifty strings—
Each string, each fret recalls a year of youth.
Zhuangzi dreamed at dawn, confused among butterflies;
The Emperor Wang entrusted his spring heart to the cuckoo.
The blue sea, bright moon—pearls hold tears;
The Blue Mountain, warm sun—jade gives off smoke.
Could this feeling wait to become a memory?
Even then, it was already bewildering.
錦瑟
錦瑟無端五十絃一作「弦」，一絃一作「弦」一柱思華年。
莊生曉夢迷蝴蝶，望帝春心託杜鵑。
滄海月明珠有淚，藍田日暖玉生煙。
此情可待成追憶，只是當時已惘然。