Du Mu: Qi An Prefecture Rear Pond: Poem of Four Lines

 

[updated October 2022]

 

Qi An Prefecture Rear Pond: Poem of Four Lines

 

齐 安 郡 后 池 绝 句
菱 透 浮 萍 绿 锦 池
夏 莺 千 啭 弄 蔷 薇。                                                                                          尽 日 无 人 看 微 雨
鸳 鸯 相 对 浴 红 衣。
Qi An Jun Hou Chi Jue Ju

Ling tou fu ping lu jin chi
Xia ying qian zhuan nong qiang wei.                                                                                      Jin ri wu ren kan wei yu
Yuan yang xiang dui yu hong yi.

 

Qi An Prefecture Rear Pond: Poem of Four Lines

Green brocade-like pond, water caltrop and duckweed on the surface
One thousand orioles chirping and playing with summer roses.                      Setting sun, without people around, watching the light rain
Mandarin duck and drake facing opposite of each other,
bathe their reddish feathers.

 

Notes:

Qi An: An ancient prefecture around the modern city of Jinan, Shandong Province.