[updated October 2022]
Difficult Roads to Travel: Three Poems: No. 1
行 路 难： 三 首
(1)
金 樽 清 酒 斗 十 千
玉 盘 珍 羞 直 万 钱。
停 杯 投 箸 不 能 食
拔 剑 四 顾 心 茫 然。
欲 渡 黄 河 冰 塞 川
将 登 太 行 雪 暗 天。
闲 来 垂 钓 坐 溪 上
忽 复 乘 舟 梦 日 边。
行 路 难， 行 路 难
多 歧 路， 今 安 在？
长 风 破 浪 会 有 时
直 挂 云 帆 济 沧 海。
Xing Lu Nan: San Shou
(1)
Jin zun qing jiu dou shi qian
Yu pan zhen xiu zhi wan qian.
Ting bei tou zhu bu neng shi
Ba jian si gu xin mang ran.
Yu du huang he bing sai chuan
Jiang deng tai xing xue an tian.
Xian lai chui diao zuo xi shang
Hu fu cheng zhou meng ri bian.
Xing lu nan xing lu nan
Duo qi lu, jin an zai?
Chang feng po lang hui you shi
Zhi gua yun fan ji cang hai.
Difficult Travel Roads: Three Poems: No. 1
Very expensive clear wine in a ten liter gold vessel
Very precious jade tray of fine delicacies.
Drop my cup, throw down chopsticks, not able to eat
Grab my sword, heart-mind frustrated by inactivity.
Hope to cross the iced-over Yellow River to reach border strongholds
Ready to challenge Tai Hong mountain, snow covering everything.
Perhaps I can idle myself, fish above a small stream
Dream that the emperor unexpectedly calls on me.
Travel roads difficult, difficult roads to travel
Many forks in the road, does a peaceful one exist?
Like an ancient prince, want to ride the strong winds and broken waves
Raise sails to the clouds, move across deep blue seas.