“Yu Xi Tan” — An English translation of a Chinese song.

The River Chu runs through shifting sands,
Empires rise and fall beneath the sun.
The moon and stars have witnessed endless change,
How many beauties have sighed beneath the weight of war?

Who stormed the Qin's great gates at Julu,
And brought an empire to its knees?
A thousand miles of war, with blood upon the land,
Yet in the end, all fades like clouds upon the breeze.

With spear in hand, on horseback I conquered the world,
Yet now, this final farewell tears at my heart.
One cry of Yu Xi, Yu Xi!
And tears begin to fall.

Come, drink with me, one final cup,
Let us taste the bitter and the sweet.
The western wind blows through the endless night,
Yet memories refuse to fade.

Drunk, I raise my lamp and gaze upon my sword,
While my beloved dances, her final steps growing faint.

At Gaixia, the song of parting fills the air,
The Chu songs echo from every side.
With sorrow in her heart, she bids her love farewell,
And falls upon her sword beneath the frost-cold sky.

How can one abandon all that once was dear?
What does it matter if our fate has reached its end?
Wherever our souls may wander after death,
With you, even the wilderness feels like home.

Han blades clash beneath the fractured moonlight,
The riverbank lies silent, cold and still.
Alone, I drift upon a lonely boat,
With no thought for what tomorrow brings.

How can one abandon all that once was dear?
What does it matter if our fate has reached its end?
In another life, may we find each other once again,
And wander together where the mountains meet the endless rivers.