明月幾時有，Míng yuè jǐshí yǒu,[bright] [moon] [how much] [time] [have]
When did the bright moon first appear?

把酒問青天。Bǎjiǔ wèn qīngtiān.[hold] [wine] [ask] [blue] [sky]
One raises a cup and asks the blue sky.

不知天上宮闕，Bù zhī tiān shàng gōngquè,[not] [know] [Heavens] [on] [palace]
One does not know, in the celestial palaces,

今夕是何年。Jīnxī shì hé nián.[today] [evening] [is] [what] [year]
what year it is this evening.

我欲乘風歸去，Wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù,[I] [want] [ride] [wind] [return] [go]
I wish to ride the wind and return there,

又恐瓊樓玉宇，Yòu kǒng qióng lóu yùyǔ,[again] [fear] [jade] [building] [jade] [room]
yet fear the jade towers;

高處不勝寒。Gāo chù bùshèng hán.[high] [dwell] [not bear] [cold]
in a high dwelling one cannot bear the cold.

起舞弄清影，Qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng,[start] [dance] [play with] [clear] [shadow]
Starting to dance with one’s clear shadow –

何似在人間。Hé sì zài rén jiān.[what] [resemble] [in] [human world]
what else resembles the mortal world?

轉朱閣，Zhuǎn zhū gé,[revolve] [red] [pavilion]
Revolving around the red pavilion,

低綺戶，Dī qǐ hù,[low] [silk-work] [door]
lowering to a silk-work door,

照無眠。Zhào wú mián.[shine] [not have] [sleep]
it shines upon the sleepless.

不應有恨，Bù yīng yǒu hèn,[not] [should] [have] [hate]
It should not have resentment;

何事長向別時圓?Hé shì cháng xiàng bié shí yuán?[why] [thing] [always] [before] [separate] [time] [full]
why is it always full at times of separation?

人有悲歡離合，Rén yǒu bēihuānlíhé,[people] [have] [sorrow] [joy] [parting] [reunion]
People have sorrows, joys, parting and reunions,

月有陰晴圓缺，Yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē,[moon] [has] [dark] [clear] [round] [scarce]
the moon is dark, bright, waxes or wanes;

此事古難全。Cǐ shì gǔ nán quán.[this] [issue] [ancient] [difficult] [entire]
these problems have been this way since ancient times.

但願人長久，Dàn yuàn rén chángjiǔ,[yet] [hope] [person] [long] [long time]
Yet one hopes for longevity;

千里共嬋娟。Qiān lǐ gòng chánjuān.[thousand] [miles] [together] [moon] [beauty]
a thousand miles apart, together [seeing] the moon’s beauty.