李冶·《相思怨》英译

相思怨

人道海水深，不抵相思半。

海水尚有涯，相思渺无畔。

携琴上高楼，楼虚月华满。

弹著相思曲，弦肠一时断。

Reproach in Love 

Li Ye

People say the sea is deep

it’s not as deep by half as love.

The sea at least still has its coasts,

love’s farthest reaches have no shore.

Take your harp and climb the tower,

where moonlight fills the empty rooms.

Then play the song of longing love

heart and strings will break together.

（Stephen Owen 译）

The Bitterness of Longing

Li Ye

Deep is the ocean of human life,

but the ocean has a shore;

twice as deep is my longing for you,

and longing is ever more.

Lute in hand, I go upstairs,

but there is no one here;

moonlight fills the empty room,

shining from way out there.

Plucking my lute, I play a tune,

Song of Pining for You;

a string snaps as it rends my heart,

breaking it in two.

（Bannie Chow and Thomas Cleary 译）