#钱鹤滩

(This one is for myself and everyone out there who procrastinates, just in time for the start of another school year.  This version is edited from the original on my personal blog, in which I somehow credited the wrong poet.  I’ve corrected my mistake here.)

Song of Tomorrows

By Qian Hetan (Ming dynasty, late 15th century)

Tomorrows upon tomorrows,

There are innumerable tomorrows.

I spent my life waiting for tomorrow,

And wasted my days doing nothing.

Tomorrow lets everyone down,

Spring goes Autumn comes and old age soon arrives.

Observing the river flow east at dawn,

Viewing the sun set west at dusk.

How many tomorrows are there in a lifetime?

Please consider my Song of Tomorrows.

Original Text (Traditional Chinese):

《明日歌》

[明] 錢鶴灘

明日復明日，明日何其多。

我生待明日，萬事成蹉跎。

世人苦被明日累，春去秋來老將至。

朝看水東流，暮看日西墜。

百年明日能幾何？請君聽我明日歌。