Lu Yu: Early Summer Travels Within Calm Waters

 

Early Summer Travels Within Calm Waters

 

初 夏 行 平 水 道 中
老 去 人 间 乐 事 稀
一 年 容 易 又 春 归。
市 桥 压 担 莼 丝 滑
村 店 堆 盘 豆 荚 肥。
傍 水 风 林 莺 语 语
满 原 烟 草 蝶 飞 飞。
郊 行 已 觉 侵 微 暑
小 立 桐 阴 挽 夹 衣。

 

Chu Xia Xing Pin Shui Dao Zhong

Lao qu ren jian le shi xi
Yi nian rong yi you chun gui.
Shi qiao ya dan chun si hua
Cun dian dui pan dou jia fei.

Bang shui feng lin ying yu yu
Man yuan yan cao die fei fei.
Jiao xing yi jue qin wei shu
Xiao li tong yin wan jia yi.

 

Early Summer Travels Within Calm Waters

Departing old people rarely among pleasures
Each year easily has the return of spring.
Village inn with plates of fat and piled-high bean pods
Silky-smooth watershield plants underneath the approaching city bridge while holding onto a shoulder pole.

Close to the water, a windy forest with orioles of few words
Everywhere open countryside mists and grasses with butterflies fluttering about.
Traveling through outskirts, already sense the oncoming hints of summer heat
Young paulownia saplings, their shadows press upon two layers of clothes.

 

Notes:

Watershield plants: A perennial floating leaf water plant.