Bai Juyi: Cranes Reply to the Hawks

 

[updated September 2022]

 

Cranes Reply to the Hawks

 

鹤 答 鸢
无 妨 自 是 莫 相 非
鸾 鹤 群 中 彩 云 里。
清 浊 高 低 名 有 归
几 时 曾 见 喘 鸢 飞?
He Da Yuan

Wu fang zi shi mo xiang fei
Luan he qun zhong cai yun li.
Qing zhuo gao di gr you gui
Ji shi ceng jiang chuan yuan fei?

 

Cranes Reply to the Hawks

Do not want to harm you, but naturally our appearances not the same
My tones are clear, your words muddy, we each abide in different locations.
Crane flocks gathering inside clouds seem to be a single luan
How many times when hawks fly do you gasp and pant for breath?

 

Notes:

Luan: Legendary bird