[updated September 2022]
Swallow Chicks Arrive Near My Boat in Mid-Spring
燕 子 来 舟 中 作
湖 南 为 客 动 经 春
燕 子 衔 泥 两 度 新。
旧 久 故 园 尝 识 主
如 今 社 日 远 看 人。
可 怜 处 处 巢 君 室
何 异 飘 飘 托 此 身？
暂 语 船 樯 还 起 去
穿 花 贴 水 盆 沾 巾！
Yan Zi Lai Zhou Zhong Zuo
Hu nan wei ke dong jing chun
Yan zi xian ni liang du xin.
Jiu jiu gu yuan chang shi zhu
Ru jin she ri yuan kan ren.
Ke lian chu chu chao jun shi
He yi piao piao tuo ci shen?
Zan yu chuan qiang huan qi qu
Chuan hua tie shui pen zhan jin!
Swallow Chicks Arrive Near My Boat in Mid-Spring
As a visitor to Hunan, experience my second spring
For their chicks, swallows have twice brought new mud and sticks.
Back again in my garden, they know who the gardener is
But seeing other people during festival days, they keep their distance.
Can sympathize with them having to make their nests using the housing of others
How different is our lives of randomly fluttering about?
Chirping, they arise and come back to land on my boat’s mast
Close to the water, they skim beautifully to moisten my neckerchief.
Notes:
Festival days: Springtime activities to honor and pray to the gods of the Earth and Harvests.