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.
【飲酒詩 (二十首)之五】 晉·陶淵明
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。
此還有真意， 欲辨已忘言。
Drinking Song No. 5 (of 20) Tao Yuanming (Jin)
Among others’ houses I’ve built a thatch hut;
Sounds of carriages and horses out it shut.
How can commotions from life be precluded?
When the heart’s afar the place is secluded.
I pick chrysantheums under the fence east;
On the serene Southern Mountain my eyes feast.
All day long the mountain air is superb;
Fly’ng birds return to nest and their flights curb.
There is a profound meaning in all this bliss —
But to name it, my mind it simply does miss!
(tr. frank c w yue)