Du Fu: Stay Overnight At a Riverside Pavilion

 

Stay Overnight at a Riverside Pavilion

 

宿 江 边 阁
瞑 色 延 山 径
高 斋 次 水 门。
蒲 云 岩 际 宿
孤 月 浪 中 翻。
鹳 鹤 追 飞 静
豺 狼 得 食 喧。
不 眠 忧 战 伐
无 力 正 亁 坤。
Su Jiang Bian Ge

Ming se yan shan jing
Gao zhai ci shui men.
Pu yun yan ji su
Gu yue lang zhong fan.

Guan he zhui fei jing
Chai lang de shi xuan.
Bu mian you zhan fa
Wu li zheng qian kun!

 

Stay Overnight at a Riverside Pavilion

Sunset colors slowly cover mountain footpaths
Taking turns at a tall pagoda next to a river lock.
I and the mackerel sky stay overnight at the edge of rocky cliff
Solitary moon among the collapsing waves.

Storks and cranes pursued each other, flew into calm and silence
Jackals and wolves noisily ate their prey.
Lost sleep worried about army battles and attacks
I am without the power to stabilize heaven and earth.

 

Notes:

Jackals and wolves: The criminals and corrupt in and around the imperial palace.

 

Commentary:

This is the patriotism and love of country that so many have admired in Du Fu’s work.