春泛若耶溪 綦毋潛

春泛若耶溪             綦毋潛 (692-749)

幽意無斷絕，此去隨所偶。

晚風吹行舟，花路入溪口。

際夜轉西壑，隔山望南斗。

潭煙飛溶溶，林月低向後。

生事且彌漫，愿為持竿叟。

Cruising on the Ruo Ye Stream in Spring      
Qi Wuqian (692-749)

I know no end to my pursuit for peaceful insouciance tranquil,

I’ll be happy this cruise takes me to whatever pale,

On my boat the night wind blows,

Turning into the stream along the flowers enshrouded trail,

As night falls my boat turns into the west dell,

Behind the mountain I can see the stars of the South Pole,

In thick brume splash the drizzly spluttering splutters from the pool,

The moonlight sheds low behind the weald,

The vicissitudes of life is infinite and incalculable,

I’d rather be the man who poles the boat.