Senu Yivokuchi Corpus

Drinking Alone Under the Moon

A jug of wine amidst the flowers:
drinking alone, with no friend near.
Raising my cup, I beckon the bright moon;
My shadow included, we're a party of three.
Although the moon's unused to drinking,
And the shadow only apes my every move,
For the moment I'll just take them as they are,
Enjoying spring when it is here.
Reeling shadow, swaying moon,
Attend my dance and song.
Still sober, we rejoice together;
Drunk, each takes his leave.
To seal forever such a friendship,
Let's rendezvous beyond the Milky Way.

--Li Bai

Running translation

Poten lis la mou yifiri
Talas geda vai feri
poten lis la, lisakin la muk
Draben nag ye, kivake fir bini
Litomom ye wer fika kaide
Bime firi geoy gopotri alde
bime zi tomomi lalube ye seke memederi
Maur mawo ede litokh yivech
Dechet yijhesi mi vewode
socire dafel ye kheod ye
Ebreci fonfon odecheta mis
ekaiboch meme khai fere
Duaidri bikamidva telsakin wo
diso kai disib udau Inic Nuti.

Interlinear translation

 1. Poten lis la mou yifiri
    pot  -en  l-  is      la m-  ou    yi- fir -i
    drink-ACP COM-company no ESS-below GEN-moon-DEF

 2. Talas geda vai feri
    talas-0   ged -a   vai       far   -i
    jug  -CON wine-NDF ESS+among flower-DEF

 3. poten lis la, lisakin la muk
    pot  -en  l-  is      la li- sakin  la m-  uk
    drink-ACP COM-company no COM-friend no ESS-near

 4. Draben nag ye, kivake fir bini
    drab -en  nag ye     kivak -e   fir -0   bin  -i
    raise-ACP cup GEN+1s salute-PRS moon-CON light-DEF

 5. Litomom ye wer fika kaide
    li- tomom  ye     wer  -0   fik  -a   kai-de
    COM-shadow GEN+1s group-CON three-NDF 1pX-COP

 6. Bime firi geoy gopotri alde
    bime     fir -i   geoy       go- pot  -r  -i   al- de
    although moon-DEF accustomed ALL-drink-ABS-DEF NEG-COP

 7. bime zi tomomi lalube ye seke memederi
    bime     zi   tomom -i   lalub-e   ye     seke   memeder-i
    although only shadow-DEF copy -PRS GEN+1s change each   -DEF

 8. Maur mawo ede litokh yivech
    maur   mawo e -de  li- tokh      yi- mech
    around now  1s-COP COM-actuality GEN-P2

 9. Dechet yijhesi mi vewode
    dechet   yi- jas   -i   mi   vewo-de
    enjoying GEN-spring-DEF when here-COP

10. Tomom lunena, etetisa efira
    tomom  lun -en -a   e-  tetis-a   e-  fir -a
    shadow move-ACP-NDF MPH-sway -NDF MPH-moon-NDF

11. socire dafel ye kheod ye
    socir   -e   dafel ye     kheod ye
    come_see-PRS dance GEN+1s song  GEN+1s

12. Ebreci fonfon odecheta mis
    e-  brec -i   fon=fon o-  dechet  -a   mis
    MPH-sober-DEF so_far  VOL-enjoying-NDF together

13. ekaiboch meme khai fere
    e-  kaibo-ch  meme khai    fer  -e
    MPH-drunk-DEF each GEN+1sX leave-PRS

13. Duaidri bikamidva telsakin wo
    duay  -dr -i   bikamidva telsakin   wo
    affirm-PUR-DEF forever   friendship A1

14. diso kai disib udau Inic Nuti
    di- so   kai di- sib  um- tau    inic nut -i
    IMP-come 1sX IMP-join ESS-beyond road star-DEF