《桃源行》 王維 (701-761)

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)

月明松下房攏靜  日出雲中雞犬喧
Under the shinning moon pines and houses rest serene at night
By dawn fowls and dogs make merry rendering the morning bright

驚聞俗客爭來集  競引還家間都邑
Surprised to see the fisherman the villagers gather in a welcoming feat
Everyone invites the guest home to ask about his homestead

(平明閭巷掃花開  薄暮漁樵乘水入   初因避地去人間  更問神仙遂不還
峽裡誰知有人事  世中遙望空雲山   不疑靈境難聞見  塵心未盡思鄉縣
出洞無論隔山水  辭家終擬長游衍   自謂經過舊不迷  安知峰壑今來變)

當時只記入山深  青溪幾度到雲林
He remembers how he had entered the mountain paths deep
Through misty woods winding streams time and again lead

春來遍是桃花水  不辨仙源何處尋
Spring arrives every year to fill the stream with blossoms ever more
Not recognizing the way to the fairy land it could be found no more 

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