12月21日

草堂筆記
清 紀昀 ( 1724~1805 )

過如秋草芟難盡，學似春冰積不高。

誰種瀟瀟數百竿，伴吟偏稱作閑官；
不隨妖艷爭春色，獨守孤貞待歲寒。

半夜歸心三徑遠，一囊秋色四屏香；
床前未覺黃金盡，鏡前難教白髮長。

客從江南來，來時月上弦；
悠悠行旅中，三見光清圓。
曉隨殘月行，夕與新月宿；
誰謂月無情，千里遠相逐。

──選自《閱微草堂筆記》

December 21

Cottage Notes
Ji Yun (1724 - 1805, Qing Dynasty)
English translation: William Chong

Faults so numerous like the autumn grass
    that cannot be completely removed;
Learning so shallow akin to the spring snow
    that cannot thicken.

Who planted those bamboos
    that makes such beautiful sounds,
Such melody that befits a carefree official;
I compete not amongst spring’s blossoms,
    but alone guard my moral purity
    while awaiting winter.

In the middle of the night,
    I long to return to a distant hermitage,
To capture the beauty of autumn
    depicted on four painting panels;
Before my bed,
    I notice not the end of my riches;
Before my mirror,
    I cannot make my silver hair grow long.

An acquaintance comes from Jiangnan
    at the time of the waxing crescent,
In his leisurely travel, three full moons passed.
Dawn follows as the moon dips into the horizon,
    while at dusk the moon too appears;
Who is to say that the moon is callous,
    accompanying one even though
    it is a thousand miles away.

── from Yuewei Caotang Biji (Notes on a Minutely Observed Thatched Hut)