清晨入古寺  初日照高林
曲徑通幽處  禪房花木深

山光悅鳥性  潭影空人心
萬籟此俱寂  惟餘鐘磬音

A Chan Hall Behind a Temple Ruin         tr By S L Kong
 
I arrive at this ancient temple at first light
The morning sun shines into the forest its lofty trees bright
A bamboo- lined path leads me to a deep serene retreat
The Chan Hall is hidden in shrubs and flowers sweet

Birds chase one another in the mountain aura displaying pleasure
In the bottom of the deep mountain pool my mind finds solitude and leisure
‘Tis so quiet I find no trace of heavenly sounds here
Only temple bells toll their peel linger in the air

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庭院深深深幾許，楊柳堆煙，簾幕無重數。
玉勒雕鞍遊冶處，樓高不見章台路。

雨橫風狂三月暮，門掩黃昏，無計留春住。
淚眼問花花不語，亂紅飛過秋千去。

Tune: Butterfly linger flower                      tr By S L Kong

Deep deep the mansion and courtyards so deep
Veiled by countless willows waving smoke-like screens
Where her master is roaming on jade saddles and bridles she knows not
Standing in her balcony she seeks his whereabouts seeing naught

Fury gusts and pours rage the late spring dusk
She closed all windows and doors to shut out the evening
But spring stays in her feelings like a vane
Tearfully she asks flowers what to do flowers answer not
Only a flurry of pink petals fly her by past the swing

君不見
黃河之水天上來，奔流到海不復回？
君不見
高堂明鏡悲白髮，朝如青絲暮成雪？
人生得意須盡歡，莫使金樽空對月。
天生我材必有用，千金散盡還復來。
烹羊宰牛且為樂，會須一飲三百杯。
岑夫子，丹丘生，
將進酒，君莫停。
與君歌一曲，請君為我側耳聽。
鐘鼓饌玉不足貴，但願長醉不願醒。
古來聖賢皆寂寞，惟有飲者留其名。
陳王昔時宴平樂，鬥酒十千恣歡謔。
主人何為言少錢，逕須沽取對君酌。
五花馬，千金裘，
呼兒將出換美酒，與爾同銷萬古愁！

Let’s Drink                                         tr By SL Kong

Behold Yellow River waters originate high from the sky
Torrents rush to sea will n’ver return low or high
Behold grandparents before the mirror watch their grey hair sadly
Silky-black locks at dawn turned white at dusk so mercilessly
When in success we should enjoy life in great delight
And n’ver leave golden goblets empty in a moonlit night
Nature has endowed me with talents to usefully apply
Gold spent in thousands will be regained out right
Cows and sheep finely cooked will be savoured merrily
And mellow brews will be shared a thousand round in glee

Dear friends and students
Replenish your cups
Do not interrupt
Let’s together sing
Let your ears be filled with soothing ring
Bells and drums are unimportant not even costly dishes
I prefer to get drunk any time as I wish
Most scholars and saints are not recorded in historic books
Only wine lovers who share and cheer are remembered in documentary notes
Being host one should spare not any money
But to offer one’s best wines for everybody to share generously
Stately stallions
Costly furs
My son will take them to exchange for the finest brews money can buy
Let’s drink together until we are high
And leave any lingering worry behind

結盧在人境 而無車馬喧
問君何能爾 心遠地自偏

採菊東籬下 悠然見南山
山氣日夕佳 飛鳥相與還

此中有真意 欲辨已忘言

Drink               Tao Qian (365–427)  tr By S L Kong

Amid man’s haunted environs I have my chalet
Where noises of hoofs and wheels are kept away
Asked how such a place could achieve serenity
A detached mind can create peace naturally

At dawn I pick daisies by the fence at will
And watch the beauty of the southern hill
Where the mountain air so fresh is here to stay
Birds leave and return to their nests day after day

Herein rests the true meaning of life
If need be told words have escaped from my mind

Drinking Wine

I made my home amidst this human bustle,
Yet I hear no clamour from the carts and horses.
My friend, you ask me how this can be so?
A distant heart will tend towards like places.
From the eastern hedge, I pluck chrysanthemum flowers,
And idly look towards the southern hills.
The mountain air is beautiful day and night,
The birds fly back to roost with one another.
I know that this must have some deeper meaning,
I try to explain, but cannot find the words.

種豆南山下 草盛豆苗稀
晨興理荒穢 帶月荷鋤歸

道狹草木長 夕露沾我衣
衣沾不足惜 但使願無違

Back to Nature III      Tao Qian (365–427)  tr By S L Kong

At the foot of the southern hills growing beans I try
Bean stalks soon wilt while grass thrive
To clear the weeds I early rise
Hoe on shoulder I return home by night

Narrow are the paths where shrubs grow tall
My clothes are soaked when heavy dews fall
It matters not if I’m wet
So long as my life goals are met

莫聽穿林打葉聲    何妨吟嘯且徐行
竹杖芒鞋輕勝馬    誰怕    一蓑煙雨任平生

料峭春風吹酒醒    微冷    山頭斜照卻相迎
回首向來蕭瑟處    歸去    也無風雨也無晴

Tune: Calm Wind and Water            tr. By SL Kong

Fear not the forest wind and rain beating on leaves
Advance surely forward singing aloud your mind at ease
More than horses straw sandals and cane I depend
No fear
A straw cloak is all I need to battle life’s mist and rain

Drown in shrill drink I welcome the warmth of venal breezes to make me sober
Chills I feel
The sun on hill top its enduring ray envelops me all over
I turn to reassess all events of my dreary past
Home now
Storm, wind or shine imperious

我住長江頭 君住長江尾
日日思君不見君 共飲長江水

此水幾時休 此恨何時已
只願君心似我心 定不負相思意

Live by Yangtze’s Upstream
《Tune: Song of Divination》               tr By SL Kong

I live by the Yangtze’s upstream and you downstream
Night by night of you I dream
Day in day out you are not in sight but deep in my mind
The same water we share by day and night

Whence will this stream of longing cease
Whence will this pain and sorrow in me ease
Let’s hope that our hearts are of the same kind
Then not in vain we each other pine