Su Shi

Staying up All Night on New Year’s Eve

Translated from ancient Chinese 🇨🇳

«The end of the year is drawing near

As a snake crawls back to its hole.

We see half its body disappear

And soon we’ll lose sight of the whole.

If we try to tie down its tail,

We can’t succeed whate’ er we do.

Children will stay up and regale

Themselves with feast the whole night through.

Cocks, wake not the dawn with your song;

Drums, do not boom out the hour now!

The wick is burned as I sit long,

I rise to see the slanting Plough.

Will there be no New Year’s Eve next year?

I am afraid time waits for none.

Let us enjoy tonight with cheer

So that childhood will longer run.»

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Illustration By Laurent Guidali

Painting by Leonid Afremov