寄全椒山中道士 韋應物

寄全椒山中道士        韋應物(737-792)

今朝郡齋冷，忽念山中客。

澗底束荊薪，歸來煮白石。

欲恃一瓢酒，遠慰風雨夕。

落葉滿空山，何處尋行跡。

To the Taoist Monk in the Mountains of Quan Jiao   

Wei Yingwu (737-792)

This morning the county office is infused with chills,

Presently the recluse in the mountains comes across my mind and has me thrilled,

He must be bundling up briery for firewood at the base of deep rills,

Boiling white stones as staples he’ll use it as fuel,

How much I’d like to bring wine with a gourd fully filled,

Far over there to have him consoled amidst the rainy night view,

But falling leaves are all over the desolate hills,

Wherever can I tread his heels?

酬張少府 王維

酬張少府     王維 (701-761)
晚年惟好靜，萬事不關心。
自顧無長策，空知返舊林。
松風吹解帶，山月照彈琴。
君問窮通理，漁歌入浦深。

Replying Zhang the Prefecture Head of Armed Patrol   

Wang Wei (701-761)

Peace and quiet is what I hanker in my late years,

There is literally nothing a damn I care,
Racking my brains on how this I acquire,
With the idea of returning to the old place amidst the woods I tinker,
There my cummerbund will be released by the pine zephyr,
The moon over the hills will be shining on me while playing my zither,
If you ask me how one would fare,
I’d rather listen to the fishermen singing deep down the river.

 

秋風詞 李白

秋風詞    李白(701- 762)

秋風清，秋月明，

落葉聚還散，寒鴉棲復驚，
相思相見知何日，此時此夜難為情。
入我相思門，知我相思苦，
長相思兮長相憶，短相思兮無窮極，
早知如此絆人心，還如當初不相識。

The Autumnal Gale       Li Bai(701- 762)

Sprightly, crisp and brisk the autumnal gale is refreshingly light,

The autumnal moon is brilliantly bright,
Fallen Leaves adhere together but will soon be blown out of sight,
Evening roosting winter crows are startled with fright,
Pining for each other we just don’t know when we will again have each other in sight,
How embarrassingly blighted I’m this time of the night,
Since pining for you I’ve been painfully put out of sight,
Lasting pining causes lasting reminiscence of the lover with delight,
A short stint of longing is too painful to put right,
If I’ve known pining would plunge us into such a painful plight,
Not having come across each other at all should have been just boon and right.

宴梅道士山房 孟浩然

宴梅道士山房       孟浩然 (689-740)
林臥愁春盡，搴帷覽物華。
忽逢青鳥使，邀入赤松家。
金灶初開火，仙桃正發花。
童顏若可駐，何惜醉流霞。

A Feast at Taoist Monk Mei’s Hill Bower      

Meng Haoran (689-740)

Laying up in the woods I ‘m vexed that spring is soon to expire,

To savour the scenery I raise my portieres,
Presently comes the green bird the supernal’s messenger,
Inviting me to the Red Pine Master’s bower,
His alchemistic stove is just stoking fire,
Celestial peach blossoms there are bursting into flowers,
If a childhood countenance can really be preserved forever,
Why not quaff the Fluid Glow the supernal’s liquor.

 

 

古從軍行 李頎

古從軍行    李頎 (690-751)

白日登山望烽火，黃昏飲馬傍交河。
行人刁斗風沙暗，公主琵琶幽怨多。
野營萬里無城郭，雨雪紛紛連大漠。
胡雁哀鳴夜夜飛，胡兒眼淚雙雙落。
聞道玉門猶被遮，應將性命逐輕車。
年年戰骨埋荒外，空見葡萄入漢家。

Ballad of the Army Draftees       Li Qi (690-751)

In broad daylight mounting the mountain to espy the beacon fire on the sentry castle,

At dusk by the Jiao River they take their horses to drink to their fill,
Amidst army striking beats of sirens gloomy gale and sands veil,
The bruising pipa tunes of the Han Princess on marrying off to the barbarians are recalled,
In the wide voidness spreading thousands of miles there stands not even a single city wall,
The extensive sprawls of sand is shrouded only by rain and snow,
Night after night soar the wild geese in woeful warbles,
Even the barbarians let their tears pour in dole,
People say the Jade Gate Pass is still under the barbarians’ handle,
Our warriors could only follow the chariots and give their all,
Year after year their bones scattered amid the briars and brambles,
Watching in vain the barbarians offering up grapes of consecration to pay their tribute of awe.

廬山謠寄盧侍御虛舟 李白

廬山謠寄盧侍御虛舟      李白(701- 762)
我本楚狂人，狂歌笑孔丘。
手持綠玉杖，朝別黃鶴樓。
五岳尋仙不辭遠，一生好入名山遊。
廬山秀出南斗傍，屏風九疊雲錦張，
影落明湖青黛光，金闕前開二峰長，
銀河倒掛三石梁，香爐瀑布遙相望，
迴崖沓障凌蒼蒼。
翠影紅霞映朝日，鳥飛不到吳天長。
登高壯觀天地間，大江茫茫去不還。
黃雲萬里動風色，白波九道流雪山。
好為廬山謠，興因廬山發。
閒窺石鏡清我心，謝公行處蒼苔沒。
早服還丹無世情，琴心三疊道初成。
遙見仙人彩雲裏，手把芙蓉朝玉京。
先期汗漫九垓上，願接盧敖遊太清。

 

A Ballad of Mt. Lu to Vice Chancellor Lu    Li Bai(701- 762)

I’m a crazy from the Land of Chu,

I always sing with abandon making fun of Master Confucius,
A cane of emerald jade in my hand I put to use,
Bidding in the morning the Yellow Crane Tower farewell my journey ensues,
Seeking amid the Five Great Mountains of the whole country for renowned recluses,
Gallivanting around the exalted landscapes and mountains is a fun all my life I pursue,
By the South Pole Star this mountain of comely viridity rises and accrues,
In ninefold cloudscape brocade panels it unfurls,
In the hyaline lake waters the glowing mountain is contoured,
To the fore of the Heavenly Emperor’s palace stand two tall tall pinnacles,
Springs pouring down like the Galaxy in a sparging rapid issue,
From there three stone bridges dangle,
Hanging vis-à-vis the rapid of the Incense Pinnacle,
Reaching up to the azure ether are the circumventing ranges of cliffs and peak juts,
The verdant image of the mountain flushes as the morning sun glow effuses,
So precipitous is the mountain even birds can’t subdue,
Up here espying the heavens are so vast and boundless over the land of Wu,
Waters to the east irrevocably keep raving and rolling in profuse,
Yellow clouds spreading thousands of miles up in the heavens with the wind keep mutating and changing coup,
Nine currents of white torrents pour down the mountain cutting it into nine snow monticules,
Here I concoct this Ballad of Mt. Lu inspired by the whim on it I muse
Peeping into the Snow Mirror Peak in my leisure I can cleanse my soul,
The path Lord Xie of Jin had trodden is already covered in green moss leaving not a clue,
I have done away with all earthly concerns and cumbers after the elixir I used,
Having collected and concentrated my mind and thoughts Toaist cultivation I’ve initially concluded,
Seeing from afar amidst colourful clouds the accomplished supernal is there ready to pursue,
Saluting the Heavenly Emperor in His Heavenly Palace with a lotus flower in hand for the ritual,
Pledging him one day together with Lu Ao the famous Qin recluse,
In the empyrean we cruise.

與諸子登峴山 孟浩然

與諸子登峴山    孟浩然 (689-740)
人事有代謝，往來成古今。
江山留勝跡，我輩復登臨。
水落魚梁淺，天寒夢澤深。
羊公碑尚在，讀罷淚沾巾。

Mounting Mt Yan with My Friends        
Meng Haoran (689-740)

Generations come and go,

That makes our history from of old,
All over our landscape there leaves many a remarkable memorial,
These are the places we can mount to pay our tribute of awe,
When tide ebbs water is shallow within the fish pond mole,
When it turns chilly water runs deep in the Cloudy Dream Pool,
The stone plaque commemorating Lord Yang Hu of Jin is still here standing to extol,
Reading it my tears have my scarf soaked through.

 

 

晨詣超師院讀禪經 柳宗元

晨詣超師院讀禪經    柳宗元(773-818)

汲井漱寒齒，清心拂塵服。閒持貝葉書，步出東齋讀。
真源了無取，妄跡世所逐。遺言冀可冥，繕性何由熟。
道人庭宇靜，苔色連深竹。日出霧露余，青松如膏沐。
澹然離言說，悟悅心自足。
 
Reading Sutras in the Monk Mentors Academy in the Morning 
Liu Zongyuan (773-818)

 

Rinsing my chilly teeth with water drawn from the well,

Dusting my clothes with a peaceful and unshackled soul,

Leisurely holding a sutras book made of leaves of shell,

Origins of the Confucian principles nobody knows,

Bizarre scandalous legends are what everybody wants to follow,

The sutras teach people to cultivate happiness of the nether world,

This is quite impossible according to my traits personal,

These chambers are serene and tranquil,

A tint of viridity spreads all over the bamboos and mosses,

The mists scatter as up the sun goes,

The pines are shrouded in a layer of green moistening oil,

There a spate of unworldly insouciance surges in me that I can’t expound in details,

The gratification of enlightenment has me deeply enthralled.

塞下曲(其二) 王昌齡

塞下曲(其二)  王昌齡(698-756)
蟬鳴空桑林，八月蕭關道。
出塞復入塞，處處黃蘆草。
從來幽并客，皆向沙場老。
莫學游俠兒，矜誇紫騮好。

 

The Desolate Borders (Poem No.2)    Wang Changling(698-756)

Cicadas chir amidst the divested mulberry wealds,

In the eighth month along the Xiao Pass trail,

Without and within the borders wheresoever one goes,

All reeds have already turned yellow,

Warriors on expeditions to the prefectures of You and Bing from of old,

Wizened with the dust there all their lives till they turned decrepit and senile,

Don’t mimick the chivalrous braggadocio,

Keep inanely bragging how invincible is his legendary steed the Purple.

 

塞下曲(其一) 王昌齡

塞下曲(其一)   王昌齡(698-756)
飲馬渡秋水，水寒風似刀。
平沙日未沒，黯黯見臨洮。
昔日長城戰，咸言意氣高。
黃塵足今古，白骨亂蓬蒿。
 
The Desolate Borders (Poem No.1)        Wang Changling(698-756)

To drink my horse I wade the autumnal shoals,

Cutting like a knife scathes the chilly autumnal gale,

Over the level desert the sun still stalls,

Gloomily gloomily the city of Lintao stands amidst mists brumal,

Recalling the past Great Wall battles,

The warriors were hailed as greatly mettled,

Their valours under the yellow dust pass down the ages since of old,

Their white bones are still scattered amid the messy weeds and brambles.

蝶戀花 蘇軾

蝶戀花      蘇軾(1037-1101)

花褪殘紅青杏小。燕子飛時，綠水人家繞。

枝上柳綿吹又少。天涯何處無芳草。
牆裡鞦韆牆外道。牆外行人，牆裡佳人笑。
笑聲不聞聲漸悄。多情卻被無情惱。

Die Lian Hua               Su Shi (1037-1101)

Shriveling flowers evince spring is already over while apricots are still green and sour,

Swallows come with rivers teeming with azure waters,
Willow down becomes scarcer and scarcer amidst vernal zephyrs,
Hopefully the rankly spreading green green grasses at end of world will not also go with the wind and disappear,
Relishing the fun of the swing inside the walls is a vivacious enchanting teenager,
Enthralled is the passerby outside the walls by her captivating laughters,
Fading away are the laughters as her fun on the swing is over and she retires,
Leaving only the affectionate passerby rueing at a loss as a secret admirer.

 

東郊 韋應物

東郊       韋應物(737-792)

吏舍局終年，出郊曠清曙。楊柳散和風，青山澹吾慮。

依叢适自憩，緣澗還復去。微雨靄芳原，春鳩鳴何處。

樂幽心屢止，遵事跡猶遽。終罷斯結廬，慕陶真可庶。

The East Suburb         Wei Yingwu (737-792)

All through the year in my office I’m trammelled,

What a bright and broad prospect I get in the clear daylight out in the wilds,

Soothing zephyr comes amidst the delightful willows,

The verdant mountains cleanse my pent up dismals,

Relaxing insouciantly myself in the wealds,

Shuttling to and fro along the hyaline rills,

Watch the meadow turn viridescent in the mizzles,

Listening to wheresoever the spring turtledoves coo,

This is the insouciance I always aspire amidst the serene tranquil,

In my present capacity this is not always available,

There are devoirs I’ve to uphold,

Someday I’m going to have my own bower of recluse,

Hence I could tread on my admired Tao Yuanming’s heels.

贈孟浩然 李白

贈孟浩然      李白  (701- 762)

吾愛孟夫子，風流天下聞。
紅顏棄軒冕，白首臥松雲。
醉月頻中聖，迷花不事君。
高山安可仰，徒此揖清芬。

To Meng Haoran       Li Bai (701- 762)

Master Meng strikes me with admiration and awe,

A world acclaimed literatus cutting a figure of gracefully liberal and unconventional,
Forsaking since young the ambitions for pomposities and devoirs of the exulted officials,
Amidst pines and clouds all along he lays up in recluse till now he grows old,
He takes rank with all the great drinkers chronicled,
By the ravishing blooming blossoms he is captivated and abstains from serving His Majesty as a court official,
A giant mountain of a man he is as insurmountable as reverential,
To his dignified persona I could only remotely chant my eulogy of awe for his lofty personality ambrosial.

長安遇馮著 韋應物

長安遇馮著       韋應物(737-792)
客從東方來，衣上灞陵雨。
問客何為來，采山因買斧。
冥冥花正開、揚揚燕新乳。
昨別今已春，鬢絲生几縷。

 

Coming Across Feng Zhu in Chang’an      

Wei Yingwu (737-792)

From the east comes my old fellow,

Rain in the east of Chang’an still stains on his clothes,

Whence comes he at all?

An axe for collecting firewoods in the wealds,

Obscurely obscurely blooming blossoms blow,

Jubilantly jubilantly soar fledged swallows,

Now spring has returned since last we bid each other farewell,

How much have our temples grizzled?

節婦吟 張籍

節婦吟  寄東平李司空師道   (766─830)

君知妾有夫，贈妾雙明珠。
感君纏綿意，繫在紅羅襦。
妾家高樓連苑起，良人執戟明光裏。
知君用心如日月，事夫誓擬同生死。
還君明珠雙淚垂，恨不相逢未嫁時！

A Woman of Chastity  To Vice-Chancellor and Governor Li Shidao
in Dongping                                     Zhang Jie(766─830)

Sir, you know I’m in bonds of spousal,

But you still give me a couple of bright pearls,
By your sweet affections I’m deeply ruffled,
On my red dress I have them dangled,
I live in a tall tower rising from a gracious garden of quite a spectacle,
At the Bright Light Palace my husband serves as a guarding patrol,
Sir, as decent as the sun and moon I know you are highly respectable,
But I’ve pledged to live and die with my husband as a devoted couple,
With tears from my eyes pouring I return your couple of pearls,
I am deeply chagrined why we had not met before my espousals.