【明報專訊】Chinese classical lyrics are praised for their subtlety (微妙) and romance. It's also a fresh experience to relish the lingering sentiment in English. For example, "A lump of silver" is a metaphor to vividly represent the moon as well as the alluring love.

VIEWING THE RIVER SOUTH (《望江南．天上月》)

Anonymous Song from Dun Huang (敦煌)

Translation by C.K. Ho

The moon hangs in the sky,

Like a lump of silver in a distant sight.

The wind's rising in the deep of the night.

Pray blow away the clouds

surrounding the moon outright,

So that my ungrateful lover would be in sight.

天上月，遙望似一團銀。

夜久更闌風漸緊。與奴吹散月邊雲。

照見負心人。

■Giveaway

Do you want to win a copy of Tang and Song Lyrics (《原韻英譯唐宋詞選》)? Fill in the form, answer the question and send it to us (see below for our address). Please state "Smarties' Power English vol 231" on the envelope. The giveaway closes on 5 December 2018. Three lucky readers will be picked.

Thanks: The Commercial Press (H.K.) Ltd.

Question: How would you describe the moon?

[Smarties' Power English 第231期]