[updated October 2022]
Living in Seclusion at the Yong Ding Temple
寓 居 永 定 精 舍
政 拙 欣 罢 守
闲 居 初 理 生。
家 贫 何 由 往
梦 想 在 京 城。
野 寺 霜 露 月
农 兴 羁 旅 情。
聊 租 二 顷 田
方 课 子 弟 耕。
眼 暗 文 字 废
身 闲 道 心 精。
即 与 人 群 远
岂 谓 是 非 婴。
Yu Ju Yong Ding Jing She
Zheng zhuo xin ba shou
Xian ju chu li sheng.
Jia pin he you wang
Meng xiang zai jing cheng.
Ye si shuang lu yue
Nong xing ji lu qing.
Liao zu er qing tian
Fang ke zi di geng.
Yan an wen zi fei
Shen xian dao xin jing.
Ji yu ren qun yuan
Qi wei shi fei ying.
Living in Seclusion at the Yong Ding Temple
My political skills lacking, joyful to be done with them
Beginning this life of leisure, need to put my financial affairs in order.
My hometown house abandoned and poor, no reason to go back
My dreams and wishes are in the capital.
Countryside temple, frost and dew with the moon
Feeling maybe I could settle down and do some farming.
Perhaps I could rent two sixteen acre fields
And have one small section devoted to teaching the younger generation.
Eyesight failing, about to give up writing
Life of leisure the way to calmness and composure.
Have attained distance from the capital city groups
Isn’t it nice to be out of touch and out of range.
Notes:
Yong Ding Temple: A Buddhist temple located in the province of Fujian.
It was built during the Liang Dynasty (502-519 AD).