Water Striders Song
水 螳 螂 歌
清 晨 洗 面 开 篷 门
臣 螳 螂 在 水 上 奔。
前 怒 两 臂 秋 竹 竽
后 拖 一 腹 春 渔 舟。
偶 然 拾 得 破 蛛 网
挈 取 四 角 沉 垂 渊。
柳 上 螳 螂 工 捕 蝉
水 上 螳 螂 工 捕 鱣
捕 蝉 顿 顿 得 蝉 食
不 鱣 何 曾 得 鱼 吃！
Shui Tang Lang Ge
Qing chen xi mian kai peng men
Ju tang lang zai shui shang ben.
Qian nu liang bi qiu zhu yu
Hou tuo yi fu chun yu zhou.
Ou ran shi de po zhu wang
Qie qu si jiao chen chui yuan.
Liu shang tang lang gong bu chan
Shui shang tang lang gong bu zhan.
Bu chan dun dun de chan shi
Bu zhan he ceng de yu chi!
Water Striders Song
Early morning washing my face, while they are facing me in an open door
Large water striders dash to and fro on the surface.
Their two arms vigorous like the playing of an autumn bamboo wind instrument
Later they pull themselves along on their stomachs near a springtime boat.
By chance, fishermen can catch and pickup broken spider webs for bait
Grab each end of a four-corner fishing net to drop down onto a deep pool.
Praying mantis on willow trees work to catch cicadas
Water striders help the fishermen to catch sturgeon.
Praying mantis arrange themselves to eat the cicadas for every meal
The catchers of sturgeon cannot even enjoy just one meal of their catch!
Notes:
These fishermen have to sell part of their catch to pay taxes to the government.