Preserving poetry's charm

Famous Tang Dynasty poems

王维(Wang Wei)

相思

红豆生南国，

春来发几枝。

愿君多采撷，

此物最相思。

The Love Bean

The red bean grows in Southern Land.

How many twigs shoot forth in spring?

Pray pick, pick more to fill your hand;

To speak for love, 'tis the best thing.

李白(Li Bai)

将进酒

君不见，

黄河之水天上来，

奔流到海不复回！

君不见，

高堂明镜悲白发，

朝如青丝暮成雪！

人生得意须尽欢，

莫使金樽空对月。

天生我才必有用，

千金散尽还复来。

烹羊宰牛且为乐，

会须一饮三百杯。

岑夫子，

丹丘生，

将进酒，

杯莫停。

与君歌一曲，

请君为我倾耳听。

钟鼓馔玉不足贵，

但愿长醉不愿醒。

古来圣贤皆寂寞，

惟有饮者留其名。

陈王昔时宴平乐，

斗酒十千恣欢谑。

主人何为言少钱，

径须沽取对君酌。

五花马，

千金裘，

呼儿将出换美酒，

与尔同销万古愁。

Do Drink Wine

Don't you espy

The Yellow River surge down from the sky,

Up to the sea it does tumble and flow?

Don't you espy

To my white hair in the mirror I sigh,

As at dawn is black and at dusk turns snow?

Do enjoy life while in prime you run high;

Not to the moon just your empty cup ply.

So born by Heaven we must be of use;

Spend all the money and more will come up.

Cook lamb, kill cattle just for joy profuse;

Do gulp down three hundred fills from your cup.

Ts'en, my teacher,

Redknoll, friend mine,

Don't put down cups,

Do drink the wine.

I'll sing you a song of cheer,

Please listen, prick up your ear.

Bells, drums and dainties are precious no more;

Drink ourselves drunk, ne'er sober, lying down.

Obscure are the sages and saints of yore,

Only drinkers can enjoy high renown.

At olden times Prince Ch'en held a great feast;

He drank barrels and barrels with no stall.

How can a host claim to have money least?

I shall buy more and drink up to you all.

Dapples be sold,

And furs like gold.

Call our son to pawn them, buy wine, buy more,

With you I will drink off our age-long sore.

杜甫(Du Fu)

望岳

岱宗夫如何？

齐鲁青未了。

造化钟神秀，

阴阳割昏晓。

荡胸生曾云，

决眦入归鸟。

会当凌绝顶，

一览众山小。

Looking at Mt. Arch

Behold Mt. Arch, how high it stands

Its green o'er Ch'i and Lu expands.

The nature's made it a great one,

Shade as its moon, shine as its sun.

Unto my chest thick clouds arise;

And homing birds fly to my eyes.

When I reach the top to view all,

All mountains under me are small.

白居易(Bai Juyi)

赋得古原草送别

离离原上草，

一岁一枯荣。

野火烧不尽，

春风吹又生。

远芳侵古道，

晴翠接荒城。

又送王孙去，

萋萋满别情。

Seeing a Friend Off by an Old Grassland

Rolling, rolling, the grassland's grass

Blooms or dries as time turns to pass.

A wild fire can't all of it burn;

A spring wind heralds its return.

The fragrance does the old road drown;

The green spreads to the dreary town.

Now I see you off once again,

Sad, sad, the grass is filled with pain.

TRANSLATIONS BY ZHAO YANCHUN