Drinking a while under Lanterns

This is a Manchu song about the joys of drink and companionship, set to a tune made famous by a female poet of the Sòng dynasty. The tune is called One Plum Blossom [一剪梅], named for a poem by Lǐ Qīngzhào [李清照].

In case you want to sing it, two variant melodies in traditional gōngchě notation can be found in fascicle 30 of 新定九宮大成南北詞宮譜.

	dengjan-i fejile taka omirengge [燈下小酌],		Drinking a while under Lanterns
	Staatsbibliothek 14.43 (View Online)
	bolgo dere genggiyen fa,		A clean table, a bright window,
	dengjan fiyangga,		the lanterns are colorful,
	nure wangga,		the wine is fragrant.
	yenden amtan juwe sasa,		Interest is paired with flavor,
5	elhe alha,		easy going,
	sulfa sula,		relaxed and free.
	kesi fengšen dabala,		Aside from grace and fortune,
	gebu yaka,		is anyone famous?
	aisi aba,		Is there any profit?
10	bodorongge ai tusa,		What benefit is there to planning?
	beyei baita,		One’s own affairs
	abkai ciha.		are Heaven’s whim.
	terei jacingge [其二]		Second Verse
	bolgo edun gehun biya,		A clean breeze and a bright moon,
15	genggiyesakai fa,		a rather clear window,
	ekisakai hūwa,		a still garden.
	emu coman wangga wa,		A goblet and a fragrant scent,
	erin sula,		free time,
	gūnin sulfa,		and relaxed minds.
20	selacukai abka na,		Heaven and earth are blissful.
	ai ai naka,		Quit all those various things!
	šuwe šuwe waliya,		Completely, utterly abandon them!
	damu sebjen baicina,		Let’s seek out joy.
	amtan amba,		Great is delight,
25	yobo niša.		amusement is ample.
	terei ilacingge [其三]		Third Verse
	soninggai yenden noho,		Something novel and interesting
	arki dolo,		is that in the liquor,
	dengjan holo,		there is a false lantern.
30	gu-i mukei nicuhe,		A pearl of jade water,
	elden yobo,		amusing is its light,
	boco hojo,		beautiful its color.
	omire de nioroko,		Moved by drinking,
	niyaman bolgo,		the heart is sincere,
35	tunggen onco,		the breast broad.
	sebjen bici oyonggo,		It is important for there to be joy.
	yaka sure,		Who is wise
	yaka moto.		and who is foolish?

Translation Notes

moto. Based on context, this is apparently a form of modo, “foolish.”