Because of the Imperial System, I Am in the Palace Prison, Guards Approach, I May Not Have the Temperament to Endure Much Longer, May Not Be Able to Say Good-Bye to My Brother Ziyou, So I Compose These Two Poems and Give Them to a Guard: No. 1
予 以 事 系 御 史 台 狱， 狱 吏 稍 见 侵， 自 度 不 能 堪， 死 狱 中， 不 得 一 别 子 由， 故 作 二 诗 授 狱 卒 梁 成， 以 遗 子 由
圣 主 如 天 万 物 春
小 臣 愚 暗 自 亡 身。
百 年 未 满 先 偿 债
十 口 无 归 更 累 人。
是 处 青 山 可 埋 骨
他 年 夜 雨 独 伤 神。
与 君 世 世 为 兄 弟
又 结 来 生 未 了 因。
Yu Yi Shi Xi Yu Shi Tai Yu, Yu Li Shao Jian Qin,
Zi Du Bu Neng Kan, Si Yu Zhong, Bu De Yi Bie Zi You,
Gu Zuo Er Shi Shou Yu Zu Liang Cheng, Yi Yi Zi You
(1)
Sheng zhu ru tian wan wu chun
Xiao chen yu an zi wang shen.
Bai nian wei man xian chang zhai
Shi kou wu gui geng lei ren.
Shi chu qing shan ke mai gu
Ta nian ye yu du shang shen.
Yu jin shi shi wei xiong di
You jie lai sheng wei le yin.
Because of the Imperial System, I Am in the Palace Prison, Guards Approach, I May Not Have the Temperament to Endure Much Longer, May Not Be Able to Say Good-Bye to My Brother Ziyou, So I Compose These Two Poems and Give Them to a Guard: No. 1
Emperor like thousands to springtime things in the sky
I am a foolish petty official destined to die.
Not yet old, not yet repaid ancestral debts
You will have to work extra hard to feed my ten family members.
Just bury my bones anywhere in the green mountains
Next year during evening rainstorms you will be stressed not having me to talk to.
I hope in the next life we will be brothers again
To continue and finish our fates.