This poem is translated by me from classical ancient Chinese into English. Madam Liu May Ling, Toronto, then translated my English into modern Chinese. It may be farcical to the purist. I only wish to show the problems of translation, which is also a kind of understanding and interpretation and reinterpretation of anything original. This is done in the spirit of fun, for I am not Chinese educated, and Madam Liu is not English educated.
Prelude to water melody﹝水調歌頭﹞Shui Diao Ge Tou：
前奏美妙詩曲﹝水調歌頭﹞
By 蘇軾 Su Shi or Su Dong-po (Song Dynasty 1076 AD),
由 蘇軾或蘇東坡（宋朝 公元 1076年）
Whence the next luminous moon appeared?
下回月亮發光從何方出現？
Raising my wine-cup, to the blue sky, I cheered.
舉起我的酒杯，向藍天，我歡呼。
I knew neither the gate of heavenly abode,
我既不知道天國之門的所在，
Nor how the evening in celestial years, decode.
也不知道晚年如何在天體年度的解碼。
I desired on the wind in my blissful return;
我渴望旋風回報在我的幸福；
might damage the exquisite jade and jasper, my concern.
可能損傷精緻的玉和綠玉，我的關注。
The high altitude with its bitter cold was a dread;
其海拔高度與寒冷刺骨是恐懼；
Casting shadows in dance, to a different world I fled.
鑄造舞蹈在陰影中，我逃到一個不同的世界。
The lights revolved around its amber pavilion;
那燈光圍繞其琥珀色的亭子；
Through its low lattices, it scattered in zillion;
穿過它的低格，其分散在無數。
Its glittering reflection affected my sleep soon;
它閃閃發光的反射不久我的睡眠受影響；
I hold no resentment, even part under full moon.
我抱著無怨恨，甚至部分在月滿下。
Happiness, sadness, union and separation, are common human emotion;
幸福、悲傷、 結合和分離，是人類普遍的情緒；
The moon has own dimness, brightness, wax and wane, in the horizon.
月亮有其自己的亮度，亮光，月滿和月虧 ，在那地平線上。
Such imperfection was revealed since bygone years;
如此的缺陷已顯示自從過去的幾年；
We only cherished to live longer and endeared.
我們僅有珍惜活得更長和親密。
To share the bond such brilliance brought;
分享債券帶來如此的光輝；
Despite living miles apart, aspiration was sought.
儘管生活遙遙相隔數英里，渴望是在覓求。
wonkywizard 