采桑子·恨君不似江楼月

——吕本中

恨君不似江楼月，南北东西，南北东西，只有相随无别离。

恨君却似江楼月，暂满还亏，暂满还亏，待得团圆是几时？

Why Don't You and Why Do You?

(to the tune of Cai Sang Zi)

by Lyu Benzhong (1084-1145)

Why don't you behave like the moon?

Wherever I go-

Be it south or north, east or west,

Be it south or north, east or west-

It always follows me,

And never goes away from me.

Why do you behave like the moon?

Again and again-

Once it gets full, it begins to lose fullness.

Once it gets full, it begins to lose fullness.

How long am I to wait,

For our fullness?