[updated October 2022]
Living Like a Monk in a Small Prefecture With Autumn Sentiments, Send This Family Letter Out to Them
郡 斋 感 秋 寄 诸 弟
首 夏 辞 旧 国
穷 秋 卧 滁 城。
方 如 昨 日 别
忽 觉 徂 岁 惊。
高 阁 收 烟 雾
池 水 晚 澄 清。
户 牖 已 妻 爽
晨 夜 感 深 情。
昔 游 郎 署 间
是 月 天 气 晴。
授 衣 还 西 郊
晓 露 田 中 行。
采 菊 投 酒 中
昆 弟 同 自 倾。
簪 组 聊 挂 壁
焉 知 有 世 荣。
一 旦 居 远 郡
山 川 间 音 形。
大 道 庶 无 累
及 兹 念 已 盈。
Jun Zhai Gan Qiu Ji Zhu Di
Shou xia ci jiu guo
Qiong qiu wo chu cheng.
Fang ru zuo ri bie
Hu jue cu sui jing.
Gao ge shou yan wu
Chi shui wan cheng qing.
Hu you yi qi shuang
Chen ye gan shen qing.
Xi you lang shu jian
Shi yue tian qi qing.
Shou yi huan xi jiao
Xiao lu tian zhong xing.
Cai ju tou jiu zhong
Kun di tong zi qing.
Zan zu liao gua bi
Yan zhi you shi rong.
Yi dan ju yuan jun
Shan chuan jian yin xing
Da dao shu wu lei
Ji zi nian yi ying.
Living Like a Monk in a Small Prefecture With Autumn Sentiments, Send This Family Letter Out to Them
First of summer left hometown and capital
End of autumn settle down in Chucheng.
Seems like we parted just yesterday
Suddenly feel the shock of the passing years.
Tall pavilions collect mists and fog
Late evening pond water clear and pure.
Doors and windows already chilly and crisp
Feel deep homesickness from morning to evening.
On former travels between government posts
The months and days were sunny and bright.
When living west of the capital, winter clothes were sent to me
At dawn, we walked the field rows with dew.
We picked chrysanthemums to put inside our wine
Older and younger relatives emptied cup after cup.
Government hairpins tossed and hung casually on the wall
We did not realize that our society was highly prosperous.
One day I was sent to live in a remote prefecture
New mountains and rivers are in between our eyes and ears.
If one has a significant understanding of the Dao, one lives without fatigue and pull
By analogy, my lack of depth in the Dao causes me to be filled with family concerns.