臨洞庭上張丞相 孟浩然

臨洞庭上張丞相      孟浩然(689-740)

八月湖水平，涵虛混太清，  

氣蒸雲夢澤，波撼岳陽城。  
欲濟無舟楫，端居恥聖明，  
坐觀垂釣者，徒有羡魚情。  

A Poem Presented to Chancellor Zhang While Gallivanting at Lake Dongting             MengHaoran(689-740)

The eighth month flushes the lake at the flood with brimming waters,

Its diaphanous glamour merges high up with the azure ether,
Over the Cloud Pool and Dream Pool Rivers brumous vapours hover,
On the Yue Yang city wall billows batter,
With no boat I can hardly cruise on the lake waters,
I would have eclipsed His Majesty’s sageship if I still idle in retire,
It’s futile idling to admire the angler,
Catching the fish with one’s own hands one should hanker.