[updated September 2022]
Natural Talk
和 自 劝： 二 首
稀 稀 疏 疏 绕 篱 竹
窄 窄 狭 狭 向 阳 屋。
屋 中 有 一 曝 背 翁
委 置 形 骸 如 土 木。
日 暮 半 炉 麸 炭 火
夜 深 一 盏 纱 笼 烛。
不 知 有 益 及 民 无
二 十 年 来 食 官 禄。
就 暖 移 盘 檐 下 食
防 寒 拥 被 帷 中 宿。
秋 官 月 俸 八 九 万
岂 徒 遣 尔 身 温 足？
勤 操 丹 笔 念 黄 池
莫 使 饥 寒 囚 滞 狱。
He Zi Quan
Xi xi shu shu rao li zhu
Zhai zhai xia xia xiang yang wu.
Wu zhong you yi pun bei weng
Wei zhi xing hai ru tu mu.
Ri mu ban lu fu tan huo
Ye shen yi zhan sha long zhu.
Bu zhi you yi ji min wu
Er shi nian lai shi guan lu.
Jiu nuan yi pan yan xia shi
Fang han yong bei wei zhong su.
Qiu guan yue feng ba jiu wan
Qie tu qian er shen wen zu?
Qin cao dan bi nian huang chi
Mo shi ji han qiu zhi yu.
Natural Talk
Very uncommon and rare, thin circular bamboo fence
Very narrow and cramped sunlit room.
Center of the room sun exposed for an old man
My body enters here a bit shriveled.
Today at sunset put old driftwood halfway into the stove
Deep into the evening one small cup and a sarong candle.
Do not know if I had benefits that reached the people
Government official salary and food for twenty years.
Under the eaves warm up by holding a hot plate and meal
Overnight close the curtains and embrace a cold quilt.
Autumn government monthly salary eight to nine hundred
Isn’t it futile for a life to have more than warm feet?
Worked hard with my red writing brush to help those with yellow dust ponds
Hungry and cold prisoners at least are being fed.
Commentary:
Bai Juyi remniscencing about his years as a government official.