[updated September 2022]
Newly Tailored Damask Silk Coat, Moved to Deep Emotions, Then Sing and Recite This Poem
新 制 绫 袄 成 感 而 有 咏
水 波 文 袄 造 新 成
绫 软 绵 匀 温 复 轻。
晨 兴 好 拥 向 阳 坐
晚 出 宜 披 踏 雪 行。
鹤 氅 毳 疏 无 实 事
木 绵 花 冷 得 虚 名。
宴 安 往 往 欢 侵 夜
卧 稳 皆 皆 睡 到 明。
百 姓 多 寒 无 可 救
一 身 独 暖 亦 何 情。
心 中 为 念 农 桑 苦
而 里 如 闻 饥 冻 声。
争 得 大 裘 长 万 丈
与 君 都 盖 洛 阳 城。
Xin Zhi Ling Ao Cheng Gan Er You Yong
Shui bo wen ao zao xin cheng
Ling ruan mian yun wen fu qing.
Chen xing hao yong xiang yang zuo
Wan chu yi pi ta xue xing.
He chang cui shu wu shi shi
Mu mian hua leng de xu ming.
Yan an wang wang huan qin ye
Wo wen jie jie shui dao ming.
Bai xing duo han wu ke jiu
Yi shen du nuan yi he qing.
Xin zhong wei nian nong sang ku
Er li ru wen ji dong sheng.
Zheng de da qiu chang wan zhang
Yu jun dou gai luo yang cheng.
Newly Tailored Damask Silk Coat, Moved to Deep Emotions, Then Sing and Recite This Poem
Wavy-patterned coat recently tailored
With soft silk fabric, lined throughout the inside with cotton.
It is warm and light weight
Getting up in the morning, embracing it tightly
Sitting up exposed to the sunlight.
Appropriate to wear when going out at night
While walking in the snow.
Crane’s plumage appears thin and inadequate
But actually it keeps them warm and dry.
Silk cotton tree flowers seem to be good for insulation
But in reality they provide no warmth.
Arranged joyous dinner parties
Frequently go on long into the night.
Then I lie awake in bed
To sleep fitfully until morning.
Many ordinary people cannot find relief from the frigid cold
Can this one body of mine
So warm among many, also have feeling?
Inside my heart I always think of
The bitter and hard work of many lives.
Of these small-time peasant farm workers
My ears can hear the frozen sounds of the hungry.
Why can’t there be a big fur coat ten thousand feet long
To cover all of you in Luoyang?