千山鳥飛絕    萬徑人蹤滅
孤舟蓑笠翁    獨釣寒江雪

River in Snow                         江紹倫譯

A thousand hills where no birds fly
Ten thousand paths no man in sight
A straw-cloaked old man in a lone boat behold
He attempts to fish in a river covered with snow

汲井漱寒齒   清心拂塵服  閑持貝葉書  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  日出霧露餘  青松如膏沐
澹然離言說   悟悅心自足

Reading Zen With Master Chao One Early Morning         江紹倫譯

With cold water from the well I rinsed my mouth
Mind unperturbed I cleaned my gown any dust brushed out
Carefully I spread open the Sutra inscribed on durable leaves
To read it outside my study facing east

Buddhism truths their sources are difficult to identify
Many wisdowm seekers tried hard but failed to find
Words of Zen promise the enlightened bliss in Nirvana
O How I’d love to embark on the way to be near the parameter

‘Tis still and serene here in my master’s terrain
Moss verdant adjoin deep bamboo paths their spirit pertain
At dawn traces of mist and dew Nature keeps
Demure pines after overnight baths their fresh looks attract zealous peeps

Master Chao wears a smile saying not a word
He has me enlightened although untaught

月落烏啼霜滿天        江楓漁火對愁眠
姑蘇城外寒山寺        夜半鐘聲到客船

Mooring by Maple Bridge Overnight         江紹倫譯

The moon resigns amid crow cries in a snowy sky
Under lofty maple trees dimly lit river boats lie side by side
Cold Hill Temple stands outside the Gu Su city wall
Bells toll at midnight to break the stillness for boatmen at moor

人間四月芳菲盡        山寺桃花始盛開
長恨春歸無覓處        不知轉入此中來

Peach Blossom at Da Lin Temple                 江紹倫譯

By the fourth moon flowers everywhere are all but fallen
Here on temple ground peach flowers only begin to blossom
I oft regret when spring is gone it leaves no trace
Knowing not it has come to adorn this place

離離原上草    一歲一枯榮
野火燒不盡    春風吹又生
遠芳侵古道    晴翠接荒城
又送王孫去    萋萋滿別情

Farewell by the Ancient Grass Plain    江紹倫譯

Grass grow on this ancient plain wide and far
They thrive and wither once every year
Heath fires burn but in vain
A touch of vernal breeze they thrive again
Their fragrance penetrate paths swept by wind
They adjoin towns in ruin bright and green
I’ve come to bid you farewell once again
Grief overwhelm like wild grass on plain

《燕詩示劉叟》                                   (唐)白居易

梁上有雙燕   翩翩雄與雌   銜泥兩椽間   一巢生四兒
四兒日夜長   索食聲孜孜   青蟲不易捕   黃口無飽期
觜爪雖欲敝   心力不知疲   須臾十來往   猶恐巢中饑
辛勤三十日   母瘦雛漸肥   喃喃教言語   一一刷毛衣
一旦羽翼成   引上庭樹枝   舉翅不回顧   隨風四散飛
雌雄空中鳴   聲盡呼不歸   卻入空巢裏   啁啾終夜悲
燕燕爾勿悲   爾當返自思   思爾為雛日   高飛背母時
當時父母念   今日爾應知 

Swallow Song                                      江紹倫譯                       

A pair of swallows above our girder appear
A she bird and a he bird together they fair
For a new nest they bring bits of mud and fibre with their beaks
Soon four chicks are hedged in it so neat
The foursome baby birds grow day and night
They plead for nourishment tweeting with mouths wide
Fresh worms are far away and not easy to catch
The opening mouths are ne’er fully fed
Beaks and claws of parent birds are worn out approaching defeat
But caring ma and pa care not their own fatigue
They busy in relay rounds to fetch food without rest
The hunger of their nestlings must not go through any test
After a month of such laborious tasks complete
To teach baby birds to chirp and call is no small feat
The fletching feathers also need be cleaned with mum’s beak
As soon as baby birds get ready to fly
They need be coaxed to take position on tree branches near by
Off they fly with no time for looks to linger
The dispersed birds on wings seen no longer
The parents search in the air calling their young anxiously
Not a single baby bird returns home knowingly
To the empty nest mother and father their love prolong
They twitter grief all night long
Swallow swallow you needn’t harbour any regret
To your own childhood days you must reflect
Remember those happy days you were growing up
You did also leave your parents to freely fly and hop
How your parents cared to be with you in anguish
The same caring you now know too late to appease your parents howe’er you wish

君不見走馬川行雪海邊      平沙莽莽黃入天
輪台九月風夜吼      一川碎石大如斛
隨風滿地石亂走      匈奴草黃馬正肥

金山西見煙塵飛      漢家大將西出師
將軍金甲夜不脫      半夜軍行戈相撥
風頭如刀面如割      馬毛帶雪汗氣蒸
五花連錢旋作冰      幕中草檄硯水凝

虜騎聞之應膽懾      料知短兵不敢接      車師西門佇獻捷

Seeing General Feng off on His Western Expedition    江紹倫譯

Behold the Dashing Horse River flows on a sea of snow
The desert stretches wide its expanse only the horizon knows
Up the Wheel Tower autumn gales roar throughout the night
On river bed even broken rocks are big like dou
Carried by winds rocks fly everywhere wild
The Huns steeds are plump and strong when grass grows tall and yellow

Dust and smoke rise from battles west of Golden Mount
Where our generals lead the army fast to combat ground
Eager warriors keep their metal armours on while they rest
Ready to advance at midnight sharp spears in their best
Frigid winds like sharp swords slash faces inducing loud screams
Dashing steeds sweat their manes are on steam
Ice rolls down from horse back like floral shower
Inside the tent inkwells freeze the commander can only issue verbal order

Enemy cavaliers should be afraid of such a fierce campaign
They dare not cross swords with our warriors nor allowed to complain
Victory reports are expected to reach commander Feng at Westgate

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
我醉君複樂   陶然共忘機

With Hermit Husi in the Zhongnan Mountain          江紹倫譯 

I descended the green hill as dusk got hold
The moon followed me home without being told
Looking back at the path I had leisurely treaded
It winded through thickets in dark green spread
We arrived at your farmhouse holding hands
Children opened the wooden gate polite and glad
The secluded alley had lush green bamboo lined on both sides
While blue vines caressed my clothing as I walked by
We chatted amiably enjoying a peace of mind
And sampled fine brews our connoisseur taste so define
Fervently we sang songs of pine and wind
Stopping not until stars appeared dim and thin
How happy it was with me tipsy and you in glee
We made merry forgetting worldly strife and drudgery