[updated September 2022]
Front Courtyard Filled With Fragrances
满 庭 芳
归去来兮,五归何处?
万 里 家 在 岷 峨。
百 年 强 半
来 日 苦 无 多。
坐 见 黄 州 再 闰
儿 童 尽 楚 语 吴 哥。
山 中 友 鸡 豚 社 酒
相 劝 老 东 坡 。
云 何,当 此 去,人 生 底 事。
来 往 如 梭。
待 闲 看 秋 风
洛 水 清 波。
好 在 堂 前 细 柳
应 念 我 ,草 剪 柔 柯 。
仍 传 语,江 南 父 老
时 与 晒 渔 蓑。
Man Ting Fang
Gui qu lai xi, wu gui he wai?
Wan li jia zai min e.
Bai nian qiang ban
Lai ri ruo wu duo.
Zuo jian huang zhou zai run
Er tong jin chu yu wu ge.
Shan zhong you ji tun she jiu
Xiang quan lao dong po.
Yun he, dang ci qu, ren sheng di shi
Lai wang ru suo.
Dai xian kan qiu feng
Luo shui qing bo.
Hao zai tang qian xi liu
Ying nian wo, cao jian rou ke.
Reng zhuan yu, jiang nan fu lao
Shi yu shai yu suo.
Front Courtyard Filled With Fragrances
Ah, I want to return home, but instead I am going to where?
My home ten thousand li away near the Mt. Emei in Sichuan
Past halfway through my life, future days getting shorter
I arrive here in Huangzhou during an unlucky leap year.
Now leaving during another one
All the children here learn Chu words and Wu songs
Among mountains, friends serve chicken, pork and sacramental wine
We persuade each other to take one more drink.
What can I say?
The essence of human experience is like moving the warp and weave of a loom
Await for the idleness of the Luo River area and the autumn scenery
Luckily I planted young willow trees in front of the orphanage.
If you miss me, do not prune them
Please convey to my old friends in Jiangnan
I will return in time to bask in the sun, fishing under my straw hat.
Notes:
Mt. Emei is in the province of Sichuan
Huangzhou: Ancient name for the city of Hangzhou.
Chu: (1030-223 BC) Ancient kingdom and city state in current provinces of Hubei and Hunan, along with parts of other provinces.
Wu: (11th century-473 BC) Ancient kingdom and city state to the east of Chu, the current province of Zhejiang.
Luo River: Tributary to the Yellow River in Shaanxi and Henan provinces.
Jiangnan: Literally means south of the river. The region to the south of the mouth of the Changjiang, modern day Zhejiang Province.