The Plum Flower (1)  江紹倫譯

Spring brings lyrical murmurs to this serene valley
Salient plum trees bloom amid wild grasses calmly
Winds all night trigger thick ice to break
I cross the mountain passes Nature’s beauty my mate Continue reading →

My Way Home to Yi Xin    江紹倫譯

For ten years west winds carried my dreams back home
This time I have decided to lead a rustic life my own
I repeatedly seek for the sweet well water of my native land
And bring something homely with me across the river to east bank

My life now is free from responsibilities or gains
A good year promises high yields of produces and grains
On my way home from the mountain shrine there is good news
Even wild flowers and singing birds make up a grand view

 Red Plum Blossom   江紹倫譯

She prefers to drown her grief in sleep so she blooms late
It matters not her icy look up to date
Imitating peach and apricot roughs on her face
To maintain her uniqueness a slender and frosty grace
Her serene character cares not for the brilliance of spring
Her jade skin carries the hue of a subdue wine stain
Alas the old poet knew not how to describe her noble beauty
Only sang songs of peach leaves and apricot boughs ordinary

After Rain at the Four-side view Pavilion   江紹倫譯

This magnificent pavilion is deserted long ago
Below thrives a pond where fishes happily grow
The setting sun sends rays to shine on a thousand hills
Vernal breezes air a hundred fragrances in meadow fields

In this community people are contented not to win
Beside the ancient temple dark vermilion bamboos gleam
From where have these herons come
At dusk their loud cries just awesome

长洪斗落生跳波     轻舟南下如投梭    水师绝叫凫雁起     乱石一线争磋磨
有如兔走鹰隼落     骏马下注千丈坡    断弦离柱箭脱手     飞电过隙珠翻荷
四山眩转风掠耳     但见流沫生千涡    险中得乐虽一快     何异水伯夸秋河
我生乘化日夜逝     坐觉一念逾新罗    纷纷争夺醉梦里     岂信荆棘埋铜驼
觉来俯仰失千劫     回视此水殊委蛇    君看岸边苍石上     古来篙眼如蜂窠
但应此心无所住     造物虽驶如余何    回船上马各归去     多言哓哓师所呵

Hundred Pace Rapids__Su Shi (1037-1101)      江紹倫譯

Waves leap stirred up by the long rapids steeply fall
On the river a skiff glides southward like a shooting ball
Water birds take fright startled by boatmen calls
Through scattered rocks it sails straight forward evermore
Like darting hares and wing-spread eagles sour
Like wild horses race downhill its slope freely fall
Like a lute string snaps and an arrow out of the bow
Lightning cleaves the sky and raindrops on lotus leaves roll Continue reading →

花褪残红青杏小  燕子飞时  绿水人家绕  枝上柳绵吹又少  天涯何处无芳草

墙里秋千墙外道  墙外行人 墙里佳人笑  笑渐不闻声渐悄  多情却被无情恼

Tune: Butterflies Love Flowers  Su Shi (1037-1101)  江紹倫譯

Colours fade on receding blooms apricots yet to grow
Gliding pass are swallows
The garden walls girded by vermilion flow
Willowcatkins mostly gone carried by vernal blows
Everywhere else sweet green grass grow

Swing standing inside out of the walls winds a road
A man walks by
While inside a laughing maiden behold
As ringing laughter fades silence follows
How enchantment dims as enchantment gets bold

守歲_ 蘇軾 (1037-1101)

欲知垂盡歲  有似赴壑蛇
修鱗半已沒  去意誰能遮
況欲系其尾  雖勤知奈何
兒童強不睡  相守夜歡嘩
晨雞且勿唱  更鼓畏添撾
坐久燈燼落  起看北鬥斜
明年豈無年  心事恐蹉跎
努力盡今夕  少年猶可誇

Watching Pass New Year’s Eve   Su Shi (1037-1101)    江紹倫譯

The year draws near its end in full
Like a snake crawling back to its hole
Most of its body has vanished from behold
Soon we will loose sight of it whole
Should we try to tie down its tail
Whatever who we will fail
Children will stay up however to bed they are soothed
They will celebrate feast and feast all night through
Cocks don’t you wake us up at dawn with your songs
Nor drums boom at the set hour forlorn
Sitting till the oil lamp wick burns out
I rise to see the Plough slanting to call the hour
Will New Year’s Eve come not again next year
I fear time will prove its arrival to be too long
Let us enjoy this night to the full extent
So youthful life will have much more to contend