唐宋明清诗（唐）十四

鱼玄机小传
字幼微一字蕙兰。长安里家女。喜读书。有才思。补闕李忆纳为妾。爱衰。遂从冠帔於咸宜观。后以笞杀女童绿翘事。为京兆温璋所戳。--------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
赋得江边柳 (临江树)
Poem for the Willows by the River
翠1色连2荒岸。
烟姿入远楼。
影3铺秋水面。
花落钓人4头。
根老藏鱼5窟。
枝低系6客舟。
萧萧风雨夜。
惊梦復添愁。
The calm blue sky and its reflection
frame the barren riverbanks
huge shapes of misty cloud
merge into distant mansions
upside-down, many images
spread on the autumn waters
flowers drop from time to time
onto the head of the fisherman
old roots mark the dens
where many fish are hiding
hanging branches offer mooring
to the boats of travelers
the night tosses and sighs
all filled with wind and rain
and dreaming astonishing dreams
only enlarges my gloom.[1]草 [2]迷 [3]叶 [4]磯 [5]龙 [6]拂
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
赠邻女 (寄李亿员外)
Sent to a Neighbor Woman Friend
羞日遮7罗袖。
愁春懒起妆。
易求无价宝。
难得有心郎。
枕上潜垂泪。
花间暗断肠。
自能窥宋玉。
何必恨王昌。The sun admires us warmly
so we cover our arms with gauze silk sleeves
but the sad and fitful spring
makes us too lazy to put on makeup
it’s easier to find
rare, unparalleled treasure
than it is to have and hold
one reliable lover
at night, against our pillows,
we weep our secret tears
by day, among the flowers,
we hide our breaking hearts
if we can have
great poets for friends
should we also long
for handsome lovers? [7]障
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
寄国香
The Fragrance of Orchids旦夕醉吟身。
相思又此春8。
雨中寄书使。
窗下断肠人。
山捲珠帘看。
愁隨芳草新。
別来清宴上。
几度落梁尘。
The body that aches with longing
is drunk at dusk and again at dawn
these wild mutual yearnings
return to us each spring
there in the rain goes a messenger
bearing a passionate letter
under the open window
stands one with a broken heart
up in the mountains a lover
rolls up a pearl screen, looking out
sadness comes back and comes back
as fragrant and lush as the grass
and we’re all walking home in the dark
from banquets and celebrations
or watching the quiet dust
that sifts down from our roofbeams.
[8]何处申
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
寄题链师 (第三句缺一字。第四句缺一字 )
Tribute to a Master Alchemist
霞彩翦为衣。
添香出绣幃。
芙蓉花叶【】。
山水帔【】稀。
驻履闻鶯语。
开笼\放鹤飞。
高堂春睡觉。
暮雨正霏霏。
The gorgeous colored clouds
stitched into quilted robes
wonderful perfume coming
from a finely woven tapestry
the red hibiscus blooming
among its thick green leaves
mountains and water dressed
in a rare embroidered cape
—like stopping short in your tracks
to hear the song of a warbler
or freeing a crane from a cage
to watch it fly away
—sleeping alone on a spring night
in an old high-ceilinged chamber
or rain that arrives at dusk
falling thick and fast.
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem poem
寄刘尚书
Sent to Secretary Liu八座镇雄军。
歌谣满路新。
汾川三月雨。
晋水百花春。
囹圄长空锁。
干戈久覆尘。
儒僧观子夜。
羈客醉红茵。
笔砚行隨手。
诗书坐绕身。
小材9多顾盼。
得作食鱼人。I know you used to command
an army of veteran soldiers
marching them down new roads
as they chanted favorite ballads
forded Fenchuan River
in hard March rains
stood by Jinshui River in June
as flowers bloomed all around
but the vast sky gets locked away
behind its prison bars
and weapons ofwar, over time,
acquire a coat of dust
now the scholar and the monk
can sit up late, admiring midnight
and visitors can linger
drunk and flushed on the lawn
the writing brush and inkstone
almost compose on their own
as poetry books form a circle
around the thoughtful self
and a modest talent for verse
begins to come to the surface
the way the orange carp rise
when you scatter food on their pond.
[9]才
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
浣纱庙
Washing Yarn Temple
吴越相谋\计策多。
浣纱神女已相和。
一双笑靨纔回面。
十万精兵尽倒戈。
范蠡功成身隱遯。
伍胥諫死国消磨。
只今诸暨长江畔。
空有青山号苧萝。State plots against state
intrigues come thick and fast
but here at Washing Yarn Temple
Xi Shi offers us harmony
a pair of faces can beam
just from turning to glimpse her
while thousands of seasoned troops
ground their weapons and surrender
Fan Li achieved his greatness
by turning away from the world
while Wu Xu had to die
in order to wear down the government
the great river confers a name
upon a place like Zhuji
but this blue mountain has long been known
as a beautiful woman’s birthplace.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
卖残牡丹
Selling the Last Peonies
临风兴叹落花频。
芳意潜消又一春。
应为价高人不问。
却缘香甚蝶难亲。
红英只称生宫裏。
翠叶那堪染路尘。
及至移根上林苑。
王孙方恨买无因。
Facing the wind makes us sigh
we know how many flowers fall
spring has come back again
and where have the fragrant longings gone?
who can afford these peonies?
their price is much too high
their arrogant aroma
even intimidates butterflies
flowers so deeply red
they must have been grown in a palace
leaves so darkly green
dust scarcely dares to settle there
if you wait till they’re transplanted
to the Imperial Gardens
then you, young lords, will find
you have no means to buy them.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
酬李学士寄簟
To Thank the Scholar Li for the Gift of a Bamboo Mat
珍簟新铺翡翠楼。
泓澄玉水记方流。
唯应云扇10情相似。
同向银床恨早秋。
This precious mat, newly spread out
in the Halcyon Pavilion
makes me think of the deep,
clear water that marks our local river
only a fan made of clouds
could match your priceless gift
I turn toward my silver bed
regretting the early autumn.
[10]宿
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
情书(书情)寄李子安(一本题下有补闕二字)
Love Letter to Li Zian
饮冰食檗志无功。
晋水壶关在梦中。
秦镜欲分愁墮11鹊。
舜琴將弄怨飞鸿。
井边桐叶鸣秋雨。
窗下银灯暗晓风。
书信茫茫何处问。
持竿尽日碧江空。
I suck melting ice and munch cork bark
and still make no sense of my life
Jinshui River and Huguan Pass
keep coming up in my dreams
Qin Jing’s mirror is ready to break
and I’m sad for the falling magpies
Emperor Shun’s zither is tuned
and I blame the messenger swans
paulownia leaves by the well
cry in the autumn rain
the silver lamp by the window
dims in the wind at dawn
I write you letters across great distances
and never know if they reach you
holding a bamboo pole at sunset
next to a wide blue river.[11]坠
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character
闺怨
Boudoir Bitterness
蘼芜盈手泣斜暉。
闻道邻家夫婿归。
別日南鸿纔北去。
今朝北雁又南飞。
春来秋去相思在。
秋去春来信息稀12。
扃闭朱门人不到。
砧声何事透罗幃。
The grass overgrown with weeds
fills her hands
as she weeps in the late sunlight
she’s just heard
her neighbor’s husband has come back home
only the other day
wild swans and geese
were heading north
this morning they came again
honking and calling
migrating south
springs come
autumns go
heart-sorrow stays
autumns go
springs come
and still no news
she slides the bolts
of her red doors—nobody’s coming
why bother
pounding the laundry
or washing the curtains?[12]违
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
春情寄子安
Spring Thoughts Sent Affectionately to Zian
山路敧斜石磴危。
不愁行苦13苦相思。
冰销远涧怜清韵。
雪远寒峰想玉姿。
莫听凡歌春病酒。
休招闲客夜贪棋。
如松匪石盟长在。
比翼连襟会肯迟。
虽恨独行冬尽日。
终期相见月圆时。
別君何物堪持赠。
泪落晴光一首诗。
The mountain road is sheer
and the stone steps will be steep
I’ll feel bitter twice—once for the journey,
and once for missing you
icy roads and empty ravines
will make me hear your voice
cool snow on distant peaks
will bring back your calm face
don’t listen to popular songs
don’t drink too much in spring
don’t hobnob with idle drifters
don’t spend whole nights playing chess
it’s as though we shared a lovers’ vow
one made of pine, not stone
it’s as though we were paired lovebirds
whose rendezvous is delayed
we hate going on alone
trying to make it through winter
we may come back together
by the light of a great round moon
saying good-bye to you, my lord,
what keepsake can I offer ?
eyes brimming and shining,
here’s a poem just for you.[13]路
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
打毬作
Watching Them Play Polo
坚圆净滑一星流。
月杖爭敲未擬休。
无滯碍时从拨弄。
有遮栏处任鉤留。
不辞宛转长隨手。
却恐相將不到头。
毕竟入门应始了。
愿君爭取最前筹。
Firm, round, clean and smooth,
the ball goes by like a comet
the crescent-shaped sticks crack sharply
nobody wants to stop
the riders, pulling free,
chase each other, jostling
watch from behind the railing
staying as long as I like
around and around they go
the ball skipping just ahead of them
sometimes it seems as if
they’ll never score a goal
but having begun their game
they ought to be able to finish it
and whoever plays the best
ought to be given a prize.

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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
暮春有感寄友人
Sent to a Friend in a Late Spring Mood
鶯语惊残梦。
轻妆改泪容。
竹阴初月薄。
江静晚烟浓。
溼觜衔泥燕。
香须採蕊蜂。
独怜无限思。
吟罢亚枝松。
The chatter of orioles
breaks up my dream
I put on a little makeup
to change my tear-stained face
a young moon
shines through the bamboo shade
the smooth river
fumes with late night mist
swallows are bringing mud in their beaks
to pack their nests
bees are gathering pollen
from open flowers
I alone feel yearning
without any limit
reciting my own poems
staring up through the pines.
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
冬夜寄温飞卿
Sent to Wen Feiqing on a Winter Night
苦思14搜诗15灯下吟。
不眠长夜怕寒衾。
满庭木叶愁风起。
透幌纱窗惜月沈。
疏散未闲终遂愿。
盛衰空见本来心。
幽棲莫定梧桐处。
暮雀啾啾空绕16林。
I’ve racked my brains for a poem
chanting here by the lamp
spending a sleepless night
away from my chilly quilt
blown leaves fill the courtyard
the night wind makes me gloomy
through the cotton curtain and window screen
shines a deep and beautiful moon
we’re distant and lack leisure time
to accomplish our mutual wishes
love rises and falls like a wave
and usually leaves our hearts helpless
a sparrow may live alone
unable to nest in a parasol tree
I heard one chirping at sunset
circling the woods in vain.
[14]忆 [15]思 [16]绕竹 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------15
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
酬李郢夏日钓鱼回见示
A Poem Sent to Li Ying to Match His "Fishing in Summer"
住处虽同巷。
经年不一过。
清词劝17旧女。
香桂折新柯。
道性欺冰雪。
禪心笑綺罗。
跡登霄汉上。
无路接烟波。It’s odd that you and I live
here on the very same street
and not even once a year
do we run across each other
if you want to impress an old girl friend
you need to produce a pure poem
leaves of the fragrant cassia
break out along new boughs
the nature of the Tao
is simpler than ice or snow
the understanding of Zen
mocks the expense of gauze and silk
my spiritual footprints rise
into the empyrean
but there isn’t any path
across love’s waves and mist.
[17]欢
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
次韵西邻新居兼乞酒
Matching Poem for My New Neighbor to the West, Inviting Him over for Wine一首诗来百度吟。
新情18字字又声金。
西看已有登垣意。
远望能无化石心。
河汉期赊空极目。
瀟湘梦断罢调琴。
况逢寒节添乡思。
寂夜佳醪莫独斟。
Imagine a small poem
chanted a hundred times
each word bringing new feelings
sounding golden
my thoughts have climbed the wall
between our houses
I gaze into the distance—
my heart’s not made of stone
the Milky Way looks expectant
out there in the vastness
Hunan’s rivers are waking up
the zither is fully tuned
every April the Cold Food Festival
leaves me a little homesick
silent night, mellow wine—
don’t make me pour it alone.[18]清新
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
和友人次韵
A Matching Poem, Reply to a Friend
何事能销旅馆愁。
红牋开处见银鉤。
蓬山雨洒千峰小。
嶰谷风吹万叶秋。
字字朝看轻碧玉。
篇篇夜诵在衾裯。
欲將香匣收藏却。
且惜时吟在手头。
Looking for ways to defeat the sadness of
staying at an inn
opening your love letter
admiring the elegant strokes
rain on Penglai Mountain
makes the thousand peaks look small
wind in the Xiegu Gorge blows
thousands of leaves into autumn
in the morning I read every word
looking down upon jasper
at night, curled in my quilt and bed
I read it all again
I should take out my sandalwood casket
and stow it safely away
but just for this moment, holding it,
I can’t seem to let it go.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
和新及第悼亡诗二首
Two Poems﹕ For the Successful Candidates of the Civil Service Examand Grief for a Death
仙籍人间不久留。
片时已过十经秋。
鸳鸯帐下香犹暖。
鸚鵡笼\中语未休。
朝露缀花如脸恨。
晚风敧柳似眉愁。
彩云一去无消息。
潘岳多情欲白头。You can’t stay long in wonderlands
or man-made worlds
it’s as if you turn around
and find ten autumns gone
behind the curtain, under the quilt
an affectionate pair of mandarin ducks
here in the parrot’s cage
the talking hasn’t stopped
dew-streaked flowers, early morning
tell you of sorrowful faces
willows bending in evening wind
bring back pensive eyebrows
rosy clouds leave
they never come back
but Pan Yue’s in love and willing to wait
until his hair turns white.一枝月桂和烟秀。
万树江桃带雨红。
且醉尊前休悵望。
古来悲乐与今19同。
A laurel branch against the moon
matches the elegant mists
ten thousand peach trees by the river
stand in the rain, blooming red
if someone sets wine before you
you don’t act disappointed
from ancient days to the present
sorrow and joy are twins. [19]君
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
游崇真观南楼睹新及第题名处
Visiting the South Pavilion at Chongzhen Temple Where the Civil Service Exam Results Are Posted
云峰满目放春晴。
歷歷银鉤指下生。
自恨罗衣掩诗句。
举头空羡榜中名。
Cloudy mountains fill my gaze—
I think they enjoy the spring
under skillful fingers
great calligraphy is born
I wish my woman’s clothing
didn’t obscure my poems
raising my head in vain
admiring the names on the honor rolls.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
愁(秋)思
Melancholy Thoughts
落叶纷纷暮雨和。
朱20丝抚自清歌。
放情休恨无心友。
养性空拋苦海波。
长者车音门外有。
道家书卷枕前多。
布衣终作云霄客。
绿水青山时一过。
Leaves falling one by one
and rain at dusk is tender
vermilion lute, playing alone
sound of a clear voice singing
try to ignore your regret
at having no intimate friends or lovers
try to build up your character
and cast your bitterness into the sea
sound of a carriage outside the door
come for some venerable elder
heaps of Taoist books
scattered in front of the pillow
raggedly dressed people
eventually go to heaven
green water and blue hills
already here and gone.
[20]冰
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
秋怨
Autumn Lament
自叹多情是足愁。
况当风月满庭秋。
洞房偏与更声近。
夜夜灯前欲白头。
You sigh, you’re full of tenderness,
it’s more than you can bear
too many love affairs, too much wind and moon—
and the courtyard is loaded with autumn
the sound of the water-clock’s close by—
just outside your bridal chamber
and night by night, next to the lamp,
your hair is turning white.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
江行
River Journey
大江横抱武昌斜。
鸚鵡洲前户万21家。
画舸春眠朝未足22。
梦为蝴蝶也寻花。We cross the Yangtze diagonally
heading for Wuchang city
passing Parrot Island where thousands of families live
in the early hours the painted barge
has a cargo of lovers and sleepers
and I dream I’ve become a butterfly
seeking the flowers too
烟花已入鸕鶿\港。
画舸犹沿23鸚鵡洲。
醉臥醒吟都不觉。
今朝惊在汉江头。
Dim mist and we’re already sailing
into Cormorant Harbor
I thought we were still in the middle
somewhere near Parrot Island
I went to bed drunk, lay awake
singing all kinds of nonsense
got up on the Hanjiang River side
stunned to be back on dry land.
[21]万户 [22]犹未稳 [23]题
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
闻李端公垂钓回寄赠
Hearing Squire Li Had Gone Fishing, I Sent Him This Poem无限荷香染暑衣。
阮郎何处弄船归。
自惭不及鸳鸯侣。
犹得双双近2425钓磯。
No limit to the lotuses’ fragrance
they match the color of your summer clothes
my darling, don’t pole your boat
into places you can’t get back from
I wish we could match the affection
of all those mandarin ducks
swimming around in pairs
close by your fishing rock.
[24]绕 [25]傍
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
题任处士创资福寺
The Zifu Temple, Founded by the Hermit Ren
幽人创奇境。
游客驻26行程。
粉壁空留字。
莲宫未有名。
凿池泉自出。
开径草重生。
百尺金轮阁。
当川豁眼明。
Someone who liked seclusion
built this marvelous place
now sightseers and tourists
can stop and rest awhile
they write their words in vain
upon the white-washed walls
in the palace of the lotus
their names cannot be found.
the pond is dug in such a way
that the spring flows naturally
the path is made so well
that grass grows lush beside it
the Golden Wheel Pavilion
is hundreds of feet high
and it faces the river—
clear, eye-catching, bright.[26]寄
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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
题隱雾亭
The Yiinwu Pavilion
春花秋月入诗篇。
白日清宵是散仙。
空捲珠帘不曾下。
长移一榻对山眠。
Blossoms of spring, the autumn moon—
you have to turn them into poems
the bright days, the clear nights—
you feel surrounded by floating gods
I rolled up the curtain idly
and never rolled it back
I moved my couch to face the mountains
and slept here from then on.

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鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
重阳阻雨
The Double Ninth Festival Delayed by Rain
满庭黄菊篱边拆27。
两朵芙蓉镜裏开。
落帽台前风雨阻。
不知何处醉金杯。
The courtyard is full of yellow chrysanthemums
all broken and drooping along the hedge
two flowers, hibiscus and image,
gape at each other’s reflections
I put my hat back on the table—
no going out in this wind and rain
and I’m too tipsy to recall where
I put down my golden cup.
[27]折
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
早秋
Early Autumn嫩菊含新彩。
远山闲28夕烟。
凉风惊绿树。
清韵入朱弦。
思妇机中锦\。
征人塞外夫。
雁飞鱼在水。
书信若为传。
Pastel chrysanthemum buds
shine like newly dyed silk
distant mountains
lounge in the sunset mist
a cool wind stirs
the great green trees
a clear song throbs
in the vermilion lute
pining for her husband
she spins to make brocade
he’s stationed beyond the Great Wall,
under the open sky
wild geese, fly there fast
fish, go through the waters
they need your comings and goings
to carry precious letters.
[28]闭
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鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
感怀寄人
Remembering Strong Emotions
恨寄朱弦上。
含情意不任。
早知云雨会。
未起蕙兰心。
灼灼桃兼李。
无妨国士寻。
苍苍松与桂。
仍羡世人钦。
月色苔阶净。
歌声竹院深。
门前红叶地。
不扫待知音。
I find myself full of hate
for this vermilion lute
when I know perfectly well
how much I ought to love it
remembering clouds and rain—
our passionate affair
I shouldn’t be stirring up
those lost perfumes
gifted disciples—
brilliant plums and peaches
nothing should hurt the career
of such an eminent scholar
dark green pines
vast and hazy laurels
admiration coming in
from people all over the world
the moonlight colors the moss
on the clear steps of the terrace
sound of a voice that’s singing
deep in a bamboo courtyard
red leaves all over the ground
and heaped against the door
not to be cleared away
until he comes to visit.

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29
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
期友人阻雨不至
For a Friend Who Didn’t Arrive Because of Heavy Rain
雁鱼空有信。
鸡黍恨无期。
闭户方笼\月。
褰帘已散丝。
近泉鸣砌畔。
远浪涨江渚。
乡思悲秋客。
愁吟五字诗。
The wild geese and fish, those messengers,
have carried mail in vain
the rooster and the broom corn
are sad that we didn’t meet
I close the door and sigh
caught in a cage of moonlight
I lift the curtain and find its silk
already coming to pieces
close by, spring water whistles
crowding its stone channel
farther away, muddy waves
lap at the river’s banks
homesickness strikes travelers
out on the road in autumn
me, I recite an old poem—
five characters to the line. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------30
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
访赵链师不遇
Visiting Master Zhao and Not Finding Him
何处同仙侣。
青衣独在家。
暖炉留煮药。
邻院为煎茶。
画壁灯光暗。
幡竿日影斜。
殷勤重回首。
墙外数枝花。
I wanted to be with someone
of spiritual refinement
I find his house is empty,
only the maid is home
his crucible’s still warm
from cooking up herb medicines
outside in the courtyard
tea leaves are still simmering
a few dim lamps
next to the painted walls
a long shadow by the signal pole
that faces the setting sun
as I leave I keep turning around
hoping to find he’s come back—
just a few blooming branches
brushing the outside walls.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
遣怀
Curing Yourself When Lovesick闲散身无事。
风光独自游。
断云江上月。
解缆海中舟。
琴弄萧梁寺。
诗吟庾亮楼。
丛篁堪作伴。
片石好为儔。
燕雀徒为贵。
金银志不求。
满杯春酒绿。
对月夜窗幽。
绕砌澄清沼。
抽簪映细流。
臥床书册遍。
半醉起梳头。
You’re free and at leisure now
no company to distract you
you can travel by yourself
to see great sights and views
clouds part—there’s the river
and the bright moon overhead
loosen the mooring rope
and let your boat go drifting
play your lute
in old Liang dynasty temples
recite your poems
in Yu Liang’s garden pavilions
take bamboo groves
for boon companions
make friends with rocks
in steep outcroppings
and let your whole wealth be
ordinary swallows and sparrows
forget about gold and silver
forget about ambition
spring will fill your cup
with good green wine
moon will come silently by night
to visit at your window
walk around the pond
watch it clear and settle
take out your hairpin
by your reflection in the stream
and lie there in your bed
with books spread all around you
a little too happy to bother
rising to fix your hair.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
寄飞卿
Sent to Feiqing
阶砌乱蛩鸣。
庭柯烟露清。
月中邻乐响。
楼上远山明。
珍簟凉风著。
瑶琴寄恨生。
嵇君懒书札。
底物慰秋情。
Crickets chirp on the stair-steps
they sound confused to me
in the misty courtyard, along the branches,
clear dewdrops hang
a moonlit night—I hear faint music
coming from my neighbor’s
if I went upstairs I could see the mountains
distinct even in the distance
a cool breeze comes to stroke me
as I sit on my bamboo mat
and I wish I had a magic lute
to help me get through this life
I feel like that philosopher
who wrote such lazy letters
wanting some way to express
the moods and thoughts of autumn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
过鄂州
Visiting Ezhou
柳拂兰挠花满枝。
石城城下暮帆迟。
折牌29峰上三閭墓。
远火山头五马旗。
白雪调高题旧寺。
阳春歌在换新词。
莫愁魂逐清江去。
空使行人万首诗。
Willows get in the way, orchids are grotesque,
blossoms smother their branches
below Stone City’s walls the boats
sail slowly through the dusk
what’s on top of Zhepai mountain﹖
the ancient poet Qu Yuan’s grave
what’s on Yuanhuo peak?
the flags of the magistrate’s carriage
white snow makes a high, thin music
writing its poems on old temples
sunlit spring is a new poem
set to a brilliant melody
don’t be sad that a soul
fords the clear river and is gone—
that’s what makes travelers compose
ten thousand poems in vain.
[29]碑 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
夏日山居
Living in the Mountains in Summer
移得仙居此地来。
花丛自偏不曾栽。
庭前亚树张衣桁。
坐上新泉泛酒杯。
轩槛暗传深竹径。
綺罗长拥乱书堆。
闲乘画舫吟明月。
信任轻风吹却回。
I’ve moved and now I live up here
where gods could make their homes
the shrubs and thickets mix and bloom—
nobody had to plant them
the little tree in the courtyard
is where I hang my laundry
all the wine I can drink from
this mountain spring I sit by
my windows and my hallways
go deep through the bamboo trail
I use my silky clothes
to wrap up heaps of scattered books
rowing out idly in my decorated boat
chanting poems to the radiant moon
and the light breeze blows and blows—
I can trust it to bring me back.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
暮春即事
Late Spring Improvisation深巷穷门少侣儔。
阮郎唯有梦中留。
香飘罗綺谁家席。
风送歌声何处楼。
街近鼓鼙喧晓睡。
庭闲鹊语乱春愁。
安能追逐人间事。
万里身同不系舟。
Very few visitors or lovers
come through this alley to this hidden door
and as for someone I can really cherish
I meet him only in dreams
perfumed gauze and damask—
whose empty seat at the banquet?
songs carried on the wind—
coming from what pavilion?
around here it’s mostly army drums
disrupting morning sleep
nothing but magpies in the courtyard
chattering through spring sorrow
how could I hope to have any part
in the world of grand events
my own life at such a distance
and no place to tie up my boat?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
代人悼亡
Joining Somebody’s Mourning
曾睹夭桃想玉姿。
带风杨柳认蛾眉。
珠归龙窟知谁见。
镜在鸞台话向谁。
从此梦悲烟雨夜。
不堪吟苦寂寥时。
西山日落东山月。
恨想无因有了期。
You’ve seen her, bloom of the peach,
posture graceful as jade
breeze through willows and poplars
delicate arch of the eyebrows
pearl hoard in a dragon’s cave
that shock of recognition
glimpsed in the mirror at state functions
happy among the chitchat
now changed to a somber dream
lost in mist on a rainy night
hating to hear the story
of bitter times and solitude
hills to the west, sunset
hills to the east, moonrise
and thoughts of loss
that are never going to end.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
和人
Letter to a Friend茫茫九陌无知己。
暮去朝来典绣衣。
宝匣镜昏蝉鬢乱。
博山炉暖30麝烟微。
多情公子春留句。
少思文君画掩扉。
莫惜羊车频列载。
柳丝31梅绽正芳菲。
Both busy streets and country roads
are empty without good friends
evenings go, mornings come,
and I pawn my embroidered dress
the dusky mirror, frail in its special box,
shows me my delicate hair, tangled across my face
my incense burner, curiously carved,
creates a haze of musky smoke
lovesick with spring, wealthy young men
leave me urgent messages
sometimes I think of famous beauties
their portraits in the doorways
lovers’ chariots don’t spare
to line up at my door
willows bend thoughtfully and plum blossoms burst
rich with fragrance, just in time.
[30]冷 [31]舒
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38
鱼玄机
六言诗 Six-character
隔汉江寄子安
Sent to Zian, Long Distance, from the Hanjiang River江南江北愁望。
相思相忆空吟。
鸳鸯暖臥沙浦。
鸂鶒闲飞橘林。
烟裏歌声隱隱。
渡头月色沈沈。
含情咫尺千里。
况听家家还砧。Gazing across at each other, helpless,
from the north and south banks of this river
frustrated, speaking each other’s poems,
recalling our times together
—that pair of mandarin ducks looks happy
swimming warmly next to the sandbar
and those two teals are without a care
as they fly through the tangerine grove
I hear a faint sound of singing now
rising up with the chimney smoke
I watch the deep and brilliant moonlight
next to the empty ferry slip
even if we were a few feet apart
my feelings would have to cross miles
listening sadly as they pound laundry
in distant family compounds.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------39
鱼玄机
五言诗 Five-character poem
寓言
An Allegory红桃处处春色。
碧柳家家月明。
楼上新妆待夜。
闺中独坐含情。
芙蓉月32下戏鱼。
螮蝀天边雀33声。
人世悲欢一梦。
如何得作双成。
Peach blossoms everywhere, pink
color of spring
silver willows by every house
moon-bright
someone upstairs, trying on new clothes
waiting for nightfall
somebody else, alone in her bedroom
drowning in tenderness
the carp play around with the lotuses
under the moon
the sparrows call out to the rainbow
at the horizon
joys and sorrows, these are the dreams
we have in this world
why do they always come to us
in pairs?
[32]叶 [33]鹤 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
江陵愁望寄子安
Letter to Zian, Sad from Gazing into the Distance, from Jiangling
枫叶千枝復万枝。
江桥掩映暮帆迟。
忆君心似西江水。
日夜东流无歇时。
The maple leaves on their trees
branch after branch
at sunset the river bridge
frames the returning boats
oh my lord this longing for you
is like the water in West River
flowing east all day, all night
never a moment of rest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------41
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
寄子安
Sent to Zian醉別千卮不浣愁。
离肠百结解无由。
蕙兰销歇归春圃。
杨柳东西绊客舟。
聚散已悲34云不定。
恩情须学水长流。
有花时节知难遇。
未宜厌厌醉玉楼。
Someone is drunk, but a thousand wine-pots
can’t wash off the melancholy
somebody wants a way to untie
a hundred sad knots of separation
the orchids go off for a little rest
in spring they return to the gardens
and willows growing to the east and west
entangle the boats of travelers
sadness of being together, sadness of parting,
the clouds keep changing their shapes
love and affection should be like the river
whose current never stops
in the season of blossoms it’s hard
to find an intimate lover
who wants to get drunk
all alone sitting up here in Jade Tower?
[34]愁
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
42
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
送別
Saying Goodbye
秦楼35几夜愜心期。
不料仙郎有別离。
睡觉莫言36云去处。
残灯一盏野蛾飞。Several nights in this gorgeous pavilion
and I began to have expectations
until my darling surprised me—
he had to be off on a journey
so I sleep alone and don’t discuss
the whereabouts of clouds
around the lamp, now almost spent,
one lost moth is circling.
[35]层城 [36]不嫌
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------43
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
迎李近仁员外
A Warm Note to Squire Li Jinren
今日喜时闻喜鹊。
昨宵灯下拜灯花。
焚香出户迎潘岳。
不羡牵牛织女家。
Today I’m happy, hearing
the chatter of the magpies
last night in the lamplight
both of us burned the candle
lighting some incense I step outside
to greet my handsome guest
I don’t even envy that happy couple
the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------44
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
送別
Saying Goodbye, II水柔37逐器知难定。
云出无心宜再归。
惆悵春风楚江暮。
鸳鸯一只失群飞。
Softly the water chases itself,
knowing it’s hard to be settled and certain
clouds arrive without any plan
and we wish we could call them back
a desolate spring breeze,
the Yangtze stretched out in the twilight
and a mandarin duck, swimming alone—
its flock already gone.
[37]流
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45
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
左名场自泽州至京使人传语
Letter to an Exam Candidate, from Shanxi to the Capital
闲居作赋几年愁。
王屋山前是旧游。
诗咏东西千嶂乱。
马隨南北一泉流。
曾陪雨夜同欢席。
別后花时独上楼。
忽喜扣门传语至。
为怜邻巷小房幽。
相如琴罢朱弦断。
双燕巢分白露秋。
莫倦38蓬门时一访。
每春忙在曲江头。
I’ve stayed at home here, idle,
mostly composing poems
for several sorrowful years
gazing out toward
the Wangwu Mountains
site of our old excursions
reciting my verses, facing
east, facing west, mixed up—
a mountain range with a thousand peaks
or a horse that wanders south
and then heads north—
whichever way the brook flows—
remembering rainy nights
we two spent together
feasting
and then, after saying goodbye
in the blossom season,
climbing the stairs alone
and the sudden knock on the door—
oh happy little door
announcing your arrival
and the quiet lane
where our secluded house
was set apart for love . . .
Xiangru’s lute has stopped
its red strings
snapped
a pair of nesting swallows
separate
in the white dew of autumn
don’t forget about your
rural friend—
visit once in a while!
every spring there’s busy traffic
here in the Yangtze Delta—
you can catch a ride!
[38]厌
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
和人次韵
Reply to a Poem, Matching the Form喧喧朱紫杂人寰。
独自清吟日39色间。
何事玉郎搜藻思。
忽將琼韵扣柴关。
白花发咏惭称谢。
僻巷深居谬学顏。
不用多情欲相见。
松萝高处是前山。
The blood-red bustle, the purple muddle
of this human world . . .
alone and quiet, chanting,
in the midst of sunlit scenery
giving up wanting a lover
or hoping for literary fame
conceiving a wonderful poem
in the midst of a fortified village
plain flowers, so simple and right
I’m ashamed to express my gratitude
residing secluded, in a back lane,
becoming a sage like Yan Yuan
so full of affection there’s no need
to long for company all the time
just as pines and other such plants are content
simply to live among mountains.[39]月 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
47
鱼玄机
七言诗 Seven-character poem
光威裒姊妹三人少孤而始妍乃有是作精粹难儔
虽谢家联雪何以加(如)之有客自京师来者示予因次其韵
Three Beautiful Sisters, Orphaned Young
昔闻南国容华少。
今日东邻姊妹三。
妆阁相看鸚鵡赋。
碧窗应绣凤凰衫。
红芳满院参差折。
绿醑盈杯次第衔。
恐向瑶池曾作女。
謫来尘世未为男。
文姬有貌终堪比。
西子无言我更惭。
一曲艳歌琴杳杳。
四弦轻拨语喃喃。
当台竞斗青丝发。
对月爭夸白玉簪。
小有洞中松露滴。
大罗天上柳烟含。
但能为雨心长在。
不怕吹簫事未諳。
阿母几嗔花下语。
潘郎曾向梦中参。
暂持清句魂犹断。
若睹红顏死亦甘。
悵望佳人何处在。
行云归北又归南。
We used to hear about the south,
its splendid fresh appearance
now it’s these eastern neighbors
these sisters three
up in the loft, inspecting their trousseaus
reciting a verse about parrots
sitting by blue-green windows
embroidering phoenix garments
their courtyard filled with colorful petals
like red smoke, billowing unevenly
their cups full of good green wine
tasted one by one
It’s dreadful, staring into the mystic pond,
knowing you’ll always be female
banished from heaven, stuck in this life,
unable to do what men do
a poet who happens to have some beauty,
ends up being compared
to a gorgeous woman who’s silent—
that makes me feel ashamed
me, singing solo love songs
upon this vanishing zither
plucking the four strings softly
murmuring the words
facing my mirror and dressing table
to admire my black silk hair
as if I could rival the moon
by flaunting a white jade hairpin
A little cave among the pines
where dew drips down
the sky above the willows
a great net filled with mist
when you can be like the rain
your heart will have strength to go on
and you won’t be afraid to blow the flute
before you’ve fully mastered it
my mother would get upset
because I talked to flowers
and my lover was from the past
a poet who came to me in dreams
The spirit makes fine, fresh verses
and then is broken
it’s like watching a lovely young woman
give up her will to live
these gorgeous young creatures
who knows what they’ll come to?
the clouds float north
the clouds float south.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48
鱼玄机
鱼玄机七言诗 Seven-character poem
折杨柳
Snapping Willows
朝朝送別泣花鈿。
折尽春风杨柳烟。
愿得西山无树木。
免教人作泪悬悬。
Saying goodbye, morning after morning,
weeping, wearing flower jewelry
picking misty willow wands
in strong spring breeze
I wish West Hill
were bare of trees
I keep thinking that would help
to stop these falling tears.
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49
鱼玄机
五言,七言诗 Five-character ,Seven-character poem
句
Fragments
焚香登玉坛。
端简礼金闕。
Burning incense
climbs the jade altar
I hold an invitation
to a golden palace ceremony.明月照幽隙。
清风开短襟。40Brilliant moonlight
shining in a hidden clearing
crisp wind blows open
the front of a short gown.
綺陌春望远。
瑶徽春兴多。
Gorgeous fields along the road
a deep springtime vista
beautiful emblem of the season
source of my playful mood.
殷勤不得语。
红泪一双流。Pleading,
unable to speak
red tears, first one, then
a pair, traveling down.
云情自郁爭同梦。
仙貌长芳又胜花。41
The high cloud loves itself
so why these gloomy common dreams?
the heavenly look lasts . . .
again that fragrance, better than flowers.