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Mountain Rocks
English Poetic Translation
Rugged rocks make the winding pathway small;
at dusk I reach the temple as the bats take flight.
Up on the steps, the recent rain is all
that feeds broad plantain leaves and gardenias bright.
The monks praise ancient frescoes on the wall;
we bring a torch to pierce the shadowy night.
They spread my mat and set out simple fare,
coarse grain enough to stay a traveler's hunger.
Deep in the night, no insect stirs the air;
the clear moon scales the ridge where shadows wander.
At dawn I walk alone without a guide,
through rising mists that shroud the mountain side.
The streams are emerald, the hills are red,
and ancient pines ten spans around tower overhead.
Barefoot I step across the rushing stream,
while water splashes and the garments gleam.
To live like this is joy enough indeed—
why wear the bit and harness for world's greed?
Ah, friends of mine, companions in my thought,
when shall we retire to what we long have sought?
at dusk I reach the temple as the bats take flight.
Up on the steps, the recent rain is all
that feeds broad plantain leaves and gardenias bright.
The monks praise ancient frescoes on the wall;
we bring a torch to pierce the shadowy night.
They spread my mat and set out simple fare,
coarse grain enough to stay a traveler's hunger.
Deep in the night, no insect stirs the air;
the clear moon scales the ridge where shadows wander.
At dawn I walk alone without a guide,
through rising mists that shroud the mountain side.
The streams are emerald, the hills are red,
and ancient pines ten spans around tower overhead.
Barefoot I step across the rushing stream,
while water splashes and the garments gleam.
To live like this is joy enough indeed—
why wear the bit and harness for world's greed?
Ah, friends of mine, companions in my thought,
when shall we retire to what we long have sought?
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
山石犖確行徑微，黃昏到寺蝙蝠飛。
升堂坐階新雨足，芭蕉葉大支子肥。
僧言古壁佛畫好，以火來照所見稀。
鋪牀拂席置羹飯，疎糲亦足飽我飢。
夜深靜臥百蟲絕，清月出嶺光入扉。
天明獨去無道路，出入高下窮煙霏。
山紅澗碧紛爛漫，時見松櫪皆十圍。
當流赤足蹋澗石，水聲激激風吹衣。
人生如此自可樂，豈必局束爲人鞿。
嗟哉吾黨二三子，安得至老不更歸。
升堂坐階新雨足，芭蕉葉大支子肥。
僧言古壁佛畫好，以火來照所見稀。
鋪牀拂席置羹飯，疎糲亦足飽我飢。
夜深靜臥百蟲絕，清月出嶺光入扉。
天明獨去無道路，出入高下窮煙霏。
山紅澗碧紛爛漫，時見松櫪皆十圍。
當流赤足蹋澗石，水聲激激風吹衣。
人生如此自可樂，豈必局束爲人鞿。
嗟哉吾黨二三子，安得至老不更歸。
Philological Direct Translation
Mountain rocks rugged, walking path minute, dusk arriving at temple, bats flying.
Ascending hall, sitting on steps, recent rain sufficient, plantain leaves large, gardenia fat.
Monks say ancient wall Buddha paintings good, with fire coming to illuminate, what is seen is rare.
Spreading bed, dusting mat, placing broth and rice, coarse grain also sufficient to satisfy my hunger.
Night deep, quietly lying, hundred insects extinct, clear moon emerges from ridge, light enters door.
Dawn bright, alone departing, without road, going out and coming in, high and low, exhausting mist and vapor.
Mountain red, stream emerald, brilliantly scattered, at times seeing pine and oak trees all ten spans round.
Facing current, bare feet treading stream rocks, water sound gushing gushing, wind blows garments.
Human life being thus is naturally pleasurable, how must one be constrained and made a horse's bit?
Alas, my faction of two or three fellows, how to attain old age without returning again?
Ascending hall, sitting on steps, recent rain sufficient, plantain leaves large, gardenia fat.
Monks say ancient wall Buddha paintings good, with fire coming to illuminate, what is seen is rare.
Spreading bed, dusting mat, placing broth and rice, coarse grain also sufficient to satisfy my hunger.
Night deep, quietly lying, hundred insects extinct, clear moon emerges from ridge, light enters door.
Dawn bright, alone departing, without road, going out and coming in, high and low, exhausting mist and vapor.
Mountain red, stream emerald, brilliantly scattered, at times seeing pine and oak trees all ten spans round.
Facing current, bare feet treading stream rocks, water sound gushing gushing, wind blows garments.
Human life being thus is naturally pleasurable, how must one be constrained and made a horse's bit?
Alas, my faction of two or three fellows, how to attain old age without returning again?