1 獨杯自醉竹影深 Lone cup into inebriation, bamboo shadows had grown deep,
2 銀河浮星仍未沉 And yet floating stars of the Milky Way had not sank.
3 雞啼五更將快到 Dawn cometh fast upon the crowing of the rooster,
4 琵琶聲暗渡無音 Faint are sounds of the pipa passing time from no news of thee.
2 Movements in the first two lines denote the quick and slow passage of time.
3 Literally, “the rooster crowing to announce the fifth hour”. This period lasts from 4am to 6am.
4 聲 means “sounds made by heaven or come from heaven” such as winds. 音 comes from the worldly plane or manmade. These terms can be used figuratively. I have heard 天音 being used but never 風音 for 風聲. Perhaps it is due to the combined sounds made. 聲音 just means any kind of sound.
音 in this context is short for 音信, news. Two possible scenarios - The pipa is being played quietly to pass the time or that the hanging pipa on the wall is enduring silence with faint memories of the bygone past.
Monday, March 27, 2023
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