Yang Wanli: New Year Return to the West

 

New Year Return to the West

 

次 日 西 归
日 晚 颇 欲 归
主 人 苦 见 留。
我 非 不 能 饮
老 病 怯 觥 筹。
人 意 不 可 违
欲 去 且 复 休。
我 醉 彼 自 止
醉 亦 何 足 愁。
归 路 意 昏 昏
落 日 在 岭 陬。
竹 里 有 人 家
欲 憩 聊 一 投。
有 叟 喜 我 至
呼 我 为 君 侯。
告 以 我 非 是
俯 笑 仍 掉 头。
机 心 久 已 尽
犹 有 不 下 鸥。
田 父 亦 外 我
我 老 谁 与 游。

 

Ci Ri Xi Gui

Ri wan po yu gui
Zhu ren ku jian liu.
Wo fei bu neng yin
Lao bing qie gong chou.

Ren yi bu ke wei
Yu qu qie fu xiu.
Wo zui bi zi zhi
Zui yi he zu chou.

Gui lu yi hun hun
Luo ri zai ling zou.
Zhu li you ren jia
Yu qi liao yi tou.

You sou xi wo zhi
Hu wo wei jun hou.
Gao yi wo fei shi
Fu xiao reng diao tou.

Ji xin jiu yi jin
You you bu xia ou.
Tian fu yi wai wo
Wo lao shei yu you.

 

New Year Return to the West

Late in the day need to go back
Host sees me as being uncomfortable asks me to stay.
I am not able to turn down a drink
Old and ill, a prepared bronze wine vessel makes me nervous.

These people so pleasant, I cannot disobey them
For now I will not leave, but stay here to rest.
Naturally I am obligated to drink till drunk
Do not need an amount of sorrows to justify drinking.

Return home, the highway very dark
Setting sun on the mountain range foothills.
Human houses inside stands of bamboo
Needing to rest for a period of time.

One happy and old man went as far as me
Shouting at me thinking I was a high-ranking noble.
Told him I am not that kind of person
Bowing his head, he laughed at our situation of unease.

For a long time my heart-mind simple and honest
Still I am treated like a nervous seagull.
Old field workers speak to me at a distance
When I retire, wonder how can I make them my friends.