[updated September 2022]
River Village
江 村
(1)
清 江 一 曲 抱 村 流
长 夏 江 村 事 事 幽。
自 去 自 来 梁 上 燕
相 亲 相 近 水 中 鸥。
老 妻 画 纸 为 棋 局
稚 子 敲 针 作 钓 钩。
但 有 故 人 供 禄 米
微 躯 此 外 更 何 求？
(2)
舍 南 舍 北 皆 春 水
但 见 群 鸥 日 日 来。
花 径 不 曾 为 君 开
篷 门 今 始 为 君 开。
盘 飧 市 远 无 兼 味。
撙 酒 家 贫 只 旧 醅。
肯 与 邻 翁 相 对 饮
隔 篱 呼 取 尽 余 杯。
Jiang Cun
(1)
Qing jiang yi qu bao cun liu
Chang fu jiang cun shi shi you
Zi qu zi lai liang shang yan
Xiang qin xiang jin shui zhong ou.
Lao qi hua zhi wei qi ju
Zhi zi qiao zhen zuo diao gou.
Dan you gu ren gong lu mi
Wei qu ci wai geng he qiu?
(2)
She nan she bei jie chun shui
Dan jian qun ou ri ri lai
Hua jing bu ceng yuan ke sao
Peng men jin shi wei jun kai.
Pan sun shi yuan wu jian wei
Zun jiu jia pin zhi jiu pei
Ken yu lin weng xiang dui yin
Ge li hu qu jin yu bei.
River Village
(1)
Clear river flows around to embrace the village
Long summer, everything in the town is quiet and still.
Swallows above the roof beams naturally come and go as they please
Water birds kiss and fondle each other near the river.
Old wife paints us a paper chessboard
Children fashion their own fishing hooks and line.
Yet we have good friends give to us some of their official’s grain allotment
For this small and insignificant life, what more could I ask for?
(2)
Spring waters all around, to the south, to the north
Everyday can only see groups of arriving waterbirds.
Flowered footpaths, because of no visitors, do not need to be swept away
Only now my humble dwelling begins to receive some guests.
Markets too far away, dinner trays only have a couple of items
For a long time our house wine poor and unfiltered.
Willing to invite the old man next door to join us in drinking
Shout across the fence for him to share our cups.
Commentary:
Du Fu and his family are now living in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province. At this time, Sichuan is very isolated and protected from the outside world and it’s affairs. This was a time of rest, peace and family time for Du Fu. His house near the river had just been completed. These poems were written around the year 760.