《On Business》Wang Wei
輕陰閣小雨 In my cool bower I appreciate a rain fine
深院晝慵開 Waking from a good nape my mind opens wide
坐看蒼苔色 Sitting in quietude I watch the mosses green
欲上人衣來 Their beauty dyes my clothes in gleam
《An Autumn Night Song》Wang Wei
桂魄初生秋露微 The moon shines on fresh dews
輕羅已薄未更衣 She continues to wear thin robes still
銀箏夜久殷勤弄 She plays the silver lute repeatedly all night
心怯空房不忍歸 Afraid to return to her bower with no one in sight
下馬飲君酒 問君何所之
君言不得意 歸臥南山陲
但去莫複問 白雲無盡時
《Parting》 Wang Wei 江紹倫譯
Dismounted I drink with you
Enquiring what lies in view
You say things are not according to will
You are retiring in the South Hill
I’ll ask no further you just be gone
Clouds will drift freely on Continue reading
Visit the Legendary Peach Blossom Valley (in parts) tr. by SL Kong
漁舟逐水愛山春 兩岸桃花夾古津
The fishing boat follows the river into the mountains in spring
On both banks peach blossoms shine in timeless sprints
坐看紅樹不知遠 行盡青溪忽值人
Watching the flaming trees from the boat he knows not the distance
Reaching the end of the stream he has met no human instance
山口潛行始隈隩 山開曠望旋平陸
A narrow cavern leads the stream through a lonely way
Where the cliffs part a plain stretches far on a shinny day
遙看一處攢雲樹 近入千家散花竹
In the distant grove giant trees appear like hanging clouds
Nearby a thousand homes stand amid bamboo flowers
(樵客初傳漢姓名 居人未改秦衣服 居人共住武陵源 還從物外起田園) Continue reading
歸嵩山作 王維
清川帶長薄 車馬去閑閑
流水如有意 暮禽相與還
荒城臨古渡 落日滿秋山
迢遞嵩高下 歸來且閉關
Back Home to Mt. Song Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
The stream quietly skirts a long stretch of green
Carriages on way to cots of leisurely dins
Limpid waters murmur friendly hints
Homeward birds glide with me in the evening
As the deserted town looks on the vacant pier
The autumn hills washed in sunset colours appear
Beneath the towering Mt.Song the land extent
Home I close my door and wash my hands
斜光照墟落 窮巷牛羊歸
野老念牧童 倚杖候荊扉
雉雊麥苗秀 蠶眠桑葉稀
田夫荷鋤至 相見語依依
即此羨閒逸 悵然吟《式微》
Home at River Wei Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
A village bathes in the sun’s slanting ray
Among the lanes homeward cattle find their way
Grandfather looking for the herd boy waits
He leans on a bamboo cane by the gate
Pheasants love to flock in the wheat fields
Where silkworms rest mulberry leaves become few
Hoes on shoulders farm hands proudly show
They meet and chat forgetting to go
For this rustic life I long
Humming my favorite Homily Song
楚塞三湘接 荊門九派通
江流天地外 山色有無中
郡邑浮前浦 波瀾動遠空
襄陽好風日 留醉與山翁
A View from the Han River Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
Ford Chu sits where the three rivers meet
Around Mt Jingmen nine tributaries compete
The Grand River surges transcending heaven and earth
Colours on the hills appear and fade as time goes forth
Towns and burghs emerge on banks yonder
Reaching far into distant space waves and tides thunder
Enchanting is the scenery of Xiangyang in a day so fine
A good time to get drunk with my old chum staying behind
山中相送罷
日暮掩柴扉
春草明年綠
王孫歸不歸
Parting Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
Seeing you leave from up in the hills
I close my wicket door at dusk alone still
Spring grass will be green again next year
Will you return once again my dear
言入黄花川 每逐青溪水
随山将万转 趣途无百里
声喧乱石中 色静深松里
漾漾泛菱荇 澄澄映葭苇
我心素已闲 清川澹如此
请留盘石上 垂钓将已矣
Blue Stream Wang Wei ( 701-761) 江紹倫譯
Whenever I think of my Yellow Flower rill
I wade along its blue shallows at will
It meanders ten thousand turns along the mountain lea
Its course is but a thousand li
Through pebbles large and small it murmurs and sings
Deep through the pines its colour serene
Quietly the ripples churn following the cat-tail maze
Its pristine water mirrors reeds top to base
My mind simple and at peace
Just like the stream at ease
Here I’ll stay sitting on the boulder in the nook
And spend my life with rod and hook
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
A Response to Prefect Zhang Wang Wei (701-761) 江紹倫譯
In my old age I treasure quietude
World affairs I care nil
On self-reflection I had not a life plan in view
Enjoy to review past events fable and real
Breezes from among the pines set my sash free
I play my zither with moon and hills in peace
You ask for wisdom to attain success failure-free
Hear how fishermen up-stream sing at ease