With a cup of wine, I ask the sky:
How often will the moon be so bright?
What date is today, on the fairyland, from where comes the moon light?
I’d like to ride the wind to fly.
Yet I fear it will be too cold to be so high.
Then, I’d just dance with my moon-lit shadow,
This dancing make me forget the daily life style.
Turning around the mansion, through the window,
you shines on a sleepless heart.
Why you’re so wholly full, even when nice people are long way apart?
We have sorrow or joy, be together or separated afar,
while you get dim or bright, wax or wane.
Maybe, that is just how things are going on.
But, may we live long!
At least, for the reason that, no matter how far apart we are,
we still can share the same moon, that is so beautiful, just upon.
不能读懂原文中国诗词的外国人应该是一个很大的不幸，我更替他们悲伤的是甚至他们不知道自己失去了多少好诗好词。
刚才看到有人翻译的苏轼《水调歌头》（参看：http://edu.qq.com/a/20060918/000194.htm），自以为不然。于是乎平生第一次翻译了诗词。我感觉翻译诗词是一件不可能的任务（mission impossible),不要说翻译成外文，就是翻译成白话文也是不可能的。甚至就连同是读原文，每个人也会有不可能的理解。于是我的翻译只能是用我有限的语言水平说出我看到的苏轼《水调歌头》。
《水调歌头》原文
丙辰中秋，欢饮达旦，大醉，作此篇，兼怀子由。
明月几时有？把酒问青天。
不知天上宫阙，今夕是何年。
我欲乘风归去，又恐琼楼玉宇，高处不胜寒。
起舞弄清影，何似在人间？
转朱阁，低绮户，照无眠。
不应有恨，何事长向别时圆？
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。