New Year’s Vigil

New Year’s Vigil

by Su Shi

translated by Aaron De Bee

We anticipate the coming end of year

like a snake entering a hole;

slender and scaly, it’s already partially disappeared.

Who’s able to stop it from slipping away?

Even if we wanted to tie its tail,

we wouldn’t succeed if we tried.

Children struggle against sleep;

through the night we laugh together.

No cry yet from the morning cock.

Reverence builds with the beat of the drum.

We sit so long the lights burn down,

and we rise to see the plow leaning to the north.

The next year may be our last,

and we worry that we’ve wasted time,

so tonight we give it all we’ve got,

and revel like we are young.

守岁

欲知垂尽岁

有似赴壑蛇

修鳞半已没

去意谁能遮

况欲系其尾

虽勤知奈何

儿童强不睡

相守夜獾哗

晨鸡且无唱

更鼓畏添挝

坐看北斗斜

明年岂天年

心事恐蹉跎

努力尽今夕

少年犹可夸