Wednesday, 29 April 2015

青溪 王維

 
青溪       王維(701-761)
言入黃花川,每逐青溪水。隨山將萬轉,趣途無百里。
聲喧亂石中,色靜深松里。漾漾泛菱荇,澄澄映葭葦。
我心素已閑,清川澹如此。請留盤石上,垂釣將已矣。

 
The Azure Rill        Wang Wei (701-761)

People going to the Yellow Flower River vicinal,
Have to follow the waters of the Azure Rill,
Through thousands of bends within the hills,
Actually crossing less than a hundred miles it reels,
In the boat one can hear against the rocks the water jangles,
Deep in the pine woods one can relish the tranquil,
Waveringly waveringly widespread caltrops and water mallows silently on the water toss and mill,
Limpidly limpidly the hyaline water beams on the reeds with sparkling glow,
I’ve always been an insouciant soul,
With water as hyaline as this Azure Rill,
I don’t mind stay fishing on the rock till
The end of my life to perpetuate my will.

 

同從弟南齋玩月憶山陰崔少府 王昌齡

 
同從弟南齋玩月憶山陰崔少府        王昌齡(698-756)
高臥南齋時,開帷月初吐。
清輝淡水木,演漾在窗戶。
苒苒幾盈虛,澄澄變今古。
美人清江畔,是夜越吟苦。
千里其如何,微風吹蘭杜。
 
Thinking of Assistant Prefect Cui of Shanyin While
Contemplating the Moon at the South Study
with My Second Cousin            Wang Changling (698-756)

At the south study I insouciantly laze,
The early moon shines through the open portiere,
On the woods and waters it sheds its clear soft mellow rays,
Through the casement the flooding light makes its way,
From of old the moon incessantly keeps its wax and wane,
How many dynasties have under its mellowy mellow light risen and faded?
A gentleman with merits now by the Qing River stays,
He must be going through the throes of concocting a lay,
What a shame we are thousands of miles away,
I could only hope the zephyr will send you the whiffs of orchid and azalea all the way.



Saturday, 25 April 2015

送綦毋潛落第還鄉 王維


送綦毋潛落第還鄉            王維(701-761)

聖代無隱者,英靈盡來歸。遂令東山客,不得顧采薇。
既至金門遠,孰云吾道非?江淮度寒食,京洛縫春衣。
置酒長安道,同心與我違。行當浮桂棹,未幾拂荊扉。
遠樹帶行客,孤城當落暉。吾謀適不用,勿謂知音稀。

Seeing Qi Wuqian Off Back to His Homeland after
His Failing in the Imperial Examinations                        
Wang Wei (701-761)

There are no recluses under the sages’ rule,
Willing to serve the sovereign are all the ingenious and capable,
There are no more recluses feeding just on wild vegetables in the East Mountain as of old,
You’ve come a long way for this exam at the Hall of Gold,
Who else can again say we are unworthy people,
In the land of Huai south of the River you’ve passed the Cold Meals Festival,
You’ve your spring clothes made in Luoyang and the Capital,
Now on the Chang’an Road I’ve prepared wine to bid you farewell,
Presently this kindred friend of mine will hit his home trail,
The boat is ready to sail,
Soon you’ll be knocking at the door of your home dwell,
Distant foliage will be shrouding you all your way to salute your arrival,
The setting sun will be flushing on the solitary city wall to welcome you as well,
Your failure in this exam has deprived your chance to offer the court your flair and potentials,
But you will make good use of them one day when you meet someone who knows your are truly worthwhile.

 

 

Thursday, 23 April 2015

下終南山過斛斯山人宿置酒 李白


下終南山過斛斯山人宿置酒        李白(701- 762)

暮從碧山下,山月隨人歸。卻顧所來徑,蒼蒼橫翠微。
相攜及田家,童稚開荊扉。綠竹入幽徑,青蘿拂行衣。
歡言得所憩,美酒聊共揮。長歌吟松風,曲盡河星稀。
我醉君復樂,陶然共忘機。

 
Running Into the Recluse Hu Si and Drinking and Putting Up at His Bower                         Li Bai (701- 762)

I come down from the verdurous mountain in the vesper,
The bright moon keeps me company from the mountain back together,
Looking back at the trail I come via,
Across the midst of the mountain waist a dark dark green strides over,
Running into the recluse hither,
Hand in hand we come to his farming bower,
His servant presently opens the wicker door,
Following a serene path shrouded by green bamboos we enter,
Plucking at my clothes are dense green creepers,
Relaxing and making ourselves pleasant thither in his bower,
Presently regaling me with fine wine he’s ready to offer,
Relishing at the booze together,
We sing loud and long the Song of Pine Zephyr,
Our delectation ends with the dimming of the Galaxy stars,
We both relished being on the booze of cheers,
Setting ourselves on the loose we free ourselves from the world’s intricate scheming maneuvers.

 

 

Tuesday, 21 April 2015

宿龍興寺 綦毋潛


宿龍興寺        綦毋潛(692-749)

香剎夜忘歸松清古殿扉   
燈明方丈室珠繫比丘衣
白日傳心淨青蓮喻法微   
天花落不盡處處鳥銜飛。

Putting Up at Long Xing Temple for the Night       
Qi Wuqian(692-749)

I gallivant at Long Xing Temple till late in the day,
Zephyr amidst the pines whiffles over the ancient temple gates,
The monk-in-charge’s chamber is lit up gay,
Prayer beads hang awesomely on the monk’s cassock beaming with glaze,
As hyaline as the white sun amid the clouds their hearts sustain,
As sublime as the green lotus the quintessence of dharma conveys,
Heavenly flowers fall incessantly sprinkled by fays,
Birds fly with them between their beaks all over the place.

 

 

Sunday, 19 April 2015

夏日 戴復古


夏日        戴復古(1167-1248)

乳鴨池塘水淺深,熟梅天氣半晴陰。  
東園載酒西園醉,摘盡枇杷一樹金。  

A Summer Day        Dai Fugu(1167-1248)

Ducklings swim in a pond with deeps and shallows,
When the plums are ripening the weather is fine with shady intervals,
Bringing my wine from the east garden to the west garden I drink to my fill,
Picking the goldening loquat fruits from the tree to go with my wine I revel the day to the full.

 

 

Friday, 17 April 2015

夏日 張文潛


夏日      文潛 (1054 – 1114)

長夏江村風日清,  簷牙燕雀已生成。 
蝶衣曬粉花枝午,  蛛網添絲屋角晴。 
落落疏簾邀月影,  嘈嘈虛枕納溪聲。 
久斑兩鬢如霜雪,  直欲樵漁過此生。 

Summer Days        Zhang Wenqian (1054 – 1114)

In bright sunlight and delightful zephyr basks the river village through the long grueling summer,
Young swallows and birds have fledged in their nests under the girders,
At noon butterflies flaunt their delicate wings on sprays of flowers,
Spiders are busily mending their cobwebs in the house corners,
I invite the moon to drink together through the disjected disjected portieres,
On my pillow I relish the sputtering sputter of the running stream waters,
Having long turned grizzle my temple hair,
How much I would rather lead the life of a fisherman or woodcutter.