You pass by on a boat

Catching the moon asleep

The river is an inn

And the moon's a traveler

You pass by on a boat

Catching the moon still young

The river does not know

One day the moon will age.

You pass by on a boat

The moon is old now

The moon is forever in debt

But the river has forgotten

You pass by on a boat

Listening to the river telling its tale

Moon, you're very bad

If you go, come back soon

Come back soon if you go.

You pass by on a boat

Joyful as if in a festival

I shall be the waiting inn

For you to drop by in a boredom

You pass by this place

Why so hurried?

I shall be a pebble

Rolling after your footsteps.

I'm at play in life

Not knowing my roots

The tree's shadow shortens at noon

I shrink into darkness

I'm at play in life

Not knowing my roots

I shrink myself

And turn into raindrops

Disappearing in the sky.

(Biết Đâu Nguồn Cội, song lyric by Trịnh Công Sơn, translated by Nguyễn Quí Đức)