Li Bai (701-December 762), whose name was Taibai, was named Qinglianjushi, also known as “The Immortal”. A great romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty, he was hailed as “The Immortal of Poetry” by future generations, and he was called “The Immortal of Poetry” together with Du Fu.

 

将[1]进酒

君不见黄河之水天上来,

奔流到海不复回!

君不见高堂[2]明镜悲白发,

朝如青丝暮成雪!

人生得意须尽欢,

莫使金樽空对月。

天生我材必有用,

千金散尽还复来。

烹羊宰牛且为乐,

会须一饮三百杯。

岑夫子,

丹丘生[3],

将进酒,

杯莫停。

与君歌一曲,

请君为我侧耳听。

钟鼓[4]馔玉[5]不足贵,

但愿长醉不复醒。

古来圣贤皆寂寞,

惟有饮者留其名。

陈王[6]昔时宴平乐,

斗酒十千恣[7]欢谑。

主人何为言少钱,

径须沽[8]取对君酌。

五花马,千金裘,

呼儿将出换美酒,

与尔同销万古愁。

《将进酒》是李白奉诏上长安,又被“赐金还山”后的作品。他在洛阳遇到两位朋友,三人开怀畅饮,就写下了这首劝酒诗。开始他写黄金岁月犹如黄河流水一样一去不返,满头青丝已有白发,而自己却壮志未酬,不禁悲从中来。但是悲中有壮,因为道路虽然坎坷,失望还没变成绝望,所以发出了“天生我材必有用”的呼声。但一想到荣华富贵转眼消逝,古代圣贤也不得志,如才华绝代的曹植都被闲置不用,只靠饮酒作乐来打发日子。自己也只好学他那样,卖马换酒,尽情一醉,把自己积郁千年的忧愁设法一扫而光。诗中忽悲忽乐,忽乐忽悲,悲中有乐,乐中有悲,这样波澜起伏,曲折多姿,反映了李白的矛盾心理,也反映了唐代社会光明与阴暗交错、光明还掩盖着黑暗的现实。

注释:

[1]将(qiānɡ):请、愿。

[2]高堂:高大的厅堂上。

[3]岑(cén)夫子,丹丘生:指岑勋和元丹丘,二人均为李白的好友。

[4]钟鼓:富贵人家宴会时奏乐使用的乐器。

[5]馔玉:形容如玉石一样精美的食物。

[6]陈王:指陈思王曹植。

[7]恣:纵情任意、无拘无束。

[8]沽:通“酤”,买或卖,这里指买。

Invitation to Wine

Do you not see the Yellow River come from the sky,

Rushing into the sea and ne’er come back?

Do you not see the mirrors bright in chambers high

Grieve o’er your snow-white hair though once it was silk-black?

When hopes are won,oh!Drink your fill in high delight,

And never leave your wine cup empty in moonlight!

Heaven has made us talents,we’re not made in vain.

A thousand gold coins spent,more will turn up again.

Kill a cow,cook a sheep and let us merry be,

And drink three hundred cupfuls of wine in high glee!

Dear friends of mine,

Cheer up,cheer up!

I invite you to wine.

Do not put down your cup!

I will sing you a song,please hear,

O hear!Lend me a willing ear!

What difference will rare and costly dishes make?

I only want to get drunk and never to wake.

How many great men were forgotten through the ages?

But great drinkers are more famous than sober sages.

The Prince of Poets feast’d in his palace at will,

Drank wine at ten thousand a cask and laughed his fill.

A host should not complain of money he is short,

To drink with you I will sell things of any sort.

My fur coat worth a thousand coins of gold

And my flower-dappled horse may be sold

To buy good wine that we may drown the woe age-old.