Poem of Thatched Hut
by Zhuge Liang of Three Kingdoms period
Who will wake up first from the Dream?
Myself know what my life is.
I have enough of spring sleep in my hut;
The sun outside windows comes up so belated.
Back to East Brook at Night
by Wang Ji of Tang Dynasty
The moss on stones must be able to step on;
The boughs on trees are luckily easy to hold.
The way back by the green brook is straight;
I return at night under the moon, singing.
See Xinjian off at Lotus Tower
by Wang Changling of Tang Dynasty
Cold rains follow the flowing river to Wu at night,
I see the guest off at dawn and Chu Mountain’s so lonely.
If my kinsfolks in Luoyang inquire after me,
(Say) My ice-pure heart is still in the jade pot.
Loiter in Spring by Qiantang Lake
by Bai Juyi of Tang Dynasty
To the north of Lonely Hill Temple, to the west of Jia Arbor,
The lake surface just gets smooth and clouds hang low.
In how many places do early orioles vie for warm trees?
Of whose home do new swallows peck spring soil?
Motley flowers are gradually confusing eyesight.
Short grass can just cover the hooves of horses.
I love to saunter at the east of the lake,
On White Sand Dyke under the green shade of poplars.
Watching Heavenly Gate Mountain
by Li Bai of Tang Dynasty
Heavenly Gate split open in the middle for Chu River;
The blue water flowing east will flow back from here.
The verdant mountains on either bank rise opposite;
A lonely sail comes from the side of the sun.
The Dipper turns in the sky, like hanging over the west tower;
No one in the golden house, but fireflies darting.
The moonlight will come to Long Gate Hall
And become a sort of sorrow in the deep palace.
The heartbroken place under heaven
Is Laolao Arbor where to see guests off.
The vernal wind knowing the parting sorrow,
Won’t let the willow twigs turn green.
Lodging at Jinglansha & Meeting Nocturnal Visitors1
by Li She of Tang Dynasty
Evening rains patter in the village at the river;
Brave men of green woods1 visit me at night.
Don’t shun each other if meeting again in future,
As half of people nowadays are of your nature.
[1] Both mean the outlaw. The poet was an official being demoted and went to his new office. On the way he met some outlaws at night. When they knew he was a good official, they did not rob him, but asked for a poem written for them as a memento. Hence, the poem.
Think of My Brothers at Moon Night
by Du Fu of Tang Dynasty
No travelers go where the war drums sound;
The cry of a wild goose in autumn at the frontier.
Dews look white from tonight on;
The moon is bright only in homeland.
Having brothers, but all separated;
No home to care for, dead or alive.
Letters mailed oft don’t arrive for a long time,
In addition that there’s no truce yet.
Writing of my Feelings at Night of Traveling
by Du Fu of Tang Dynasty
The tender grass in the breeze on the shore;
The single boat with a towering mast at night.
Flat fields so wide with stars looking vertically hanging;
The great river flowing with the moon emerging in it.
My fame’s not gained because of my essays;
I’d resign from office for old age and disease.
What am I roaming and roving like?
A gull on sands between heaven and earth.
In Jin Town string and wind instruments played all day long;
Its sound goes half into winds on the river and half into clouds.
This tune should have only been played in Heaven;
How many times can it be heard on Earth?
There’s spring water to the south and north of my abode;
I see a group of gulls coming everyday.
My flowery path never swept for any visitors;
But today my wooden door opens for you.
As market place’s so far, my dish is always simple.
In my poor home, the cup contains only old scummy wine.
If don’t mind drinking with my old neighbor,
I’ll call him over the fence for the remaining wine.
Happy for Raining in Spring Night
by Du Fu of Tang Dynasty
Good Rain knows the time,
And so comes in spring.
It falls stealthily at night with the wind,
And soaks everything noiselessly.
Wild paths and clouds are both dark;
Only a lamp’s light in a boat on the river.
When looking at where’s red and damp at dawn,
Flowers so heavy in the city of Jin Guan.
Spring in South of Yangtze River
by Du Mu of Tang Dynasty
Over thousand miles orioles warbling, green mingling with red;
Villages by the water, town walls on hills, wine banners in winds.
Four hundred and eighty temples in the southern dynasties,
How many pavilions there in mists and rains?
During the fifth solar term period, it keeps raining;
The tourists on the way grievous to the heart.
When asked where there’s a wineshop,
The cowboy points to Apricot Bloom Village afar.
Hindrance of Frozen Bian River
by Du Mu of Tang Dynasty
When the long river of thousand miles just frozen,
Tinkling now and then like jade pendants on dress.
The floating life just like the water under the ice,
No one knows it flows east day and night.
I go up the cold hill on the sloping stone path;
There are houses in the depth of the white clouds.
Getting off my coach, I sit here, fond of the maple forest at dusk;
The frosted leaves look redder than blossoms in the second moon.
*前人認為“坐”字在這裡解釋“因為”。“坐”字是有“因為”之意。但是詩人既然用了一個多義字﹐如果有人解作其他意義﹐而又在句子中解釋得通﹐當然沒有反對的理由。但也譯以存照。
(按另一解譯第三句﹕I halt my coach, being fond of the maple forest at dusk.)