南洋的月光，因為婆羅州山火引發的煙霾，蒙上了一層薄紗。近幾禮拜，城巿被灰霧籠罩，天朦朧，月朦朧，鳥朦朧。

人也朦朧。在新加坡忽竟度過了三個中秋。家人老早各安異地，鮮能於節日相聚，加上時區分隔，縱有一昔如環，千里共月，也非能在同一個晚夕裏。

中秋之所以動人，固是與它的詠月詩有關。這些詩賦，是國人千年來對文辭想象和人世思索的一岳高峰。隨年月長，人越能領悟箇中。

在網上讀到幾篇蘇軾《水調歌頭 明月幾時有》的英譯。一篇，是羅旭龢爵士和史美於一九六二年的譯本。殖民官譯中文古詩，字很精練，還帶點中世紀英文的味道。另一篇，是文學翻譯家許淵沖教授的版本。此篇朗讀出來，更具韻律，我很喜歡。摘錄出來，用電郵發給亞洲各地同事，聊作祝頌。譯文如下：

Prelude to Water Melody

How long will the full moon appear? 

Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky. 

I do not know what time of year 

T’would be tonight in the palace on high. 

Riding the wind, there I would fly, 

yet I’m afraid the crystalline palace would be 

too high and cold for me. 

I rise and dance, with my shadow I play. 

On high as on earth, would it be as gay?

The moon goes round the mansions red 

through gauze-draped windows to shed 

her light upon the sleepless bed. 

Against man she should have no spite. 

Why then when people part, is she oft full and bright? 

Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again; 

the moon may be bright or dim, she may wax or wane. 

There has been nothing perfect since the olden days. 

So let us wish that man will live long as he can! Though miles apart, we’ll share the beauty she displays.

丙午仲秋，念東坡居士千古絕吟，記此篇，兼懷子由。