王维·《酬诸公见过（时官未出，在辋川庄）》英译

嗟余未丧，哀此孤生。

屏居蓝田，薄地躬耕。

岁晏输税，以奉粢盛。

晨往东皋，草露未晞。

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我闻有客，足扫荆扉。

箪食伊何，副瓜抓枣。

仰厕群贤，皤然一老。

媿无莞簟，班荆席藁。

汎汎登陂，折彼荷花。

静观素鲔，俯映白沙。

山鸟群飞，日隐轻霞。

登车上马，倏忽云散。

雀噪荒村，鸡鸣空馆。

还复幽独，重欷累叹。

 

On the Respected Visiting Me (I was currently staying in my country house in the village of Wangchuan.)

 

Alas for my dear wife gone

Leaving me here alone!

Half hiding in Lantian, and

Tilling this barren land;

At year-end playing tax

And offerings from grain sacks.

I head for fields at dawn

With grasses wet with dew,

And plod for home at dusk

When cooking smoke’s in view.

At news of gentlemen’s call,

I cleaned my door and all.

What food do I get in the crates?

Cut melons and fresh-picked dates.

With minds I long adore,

What though this head’s gone hoar?

No reed for bamboo mat,

Chaste twigs can serve for that.

A-boating on the pond,

We pluck the lotus flowers;

In watching sturgeons white,

Our image deep down lowers.

O’erhead are birds in flight,

With sun-tinged clouds so bright!

But soon all men must mount

And quit like drops of rain.

The sparrows jar out “Waste!”

And roosters crow in vain.

How lonely back at home!

I sigh and sigh again.