Wine Along the Winding Canals
曲 江 对 酒
苑 外 江 头 坐 不 归
水 精 宫 殿 转 霏 微。
桃 花 细 逐 杨 花 落
黄 鸟 时 兼 白 鸟 飞。
纵 饮 久 判 人 共 弃
懒 朝 真 与 世 相 违。
吏 情 更 觉 沧 洲 远
老 大 徒 伤 未 拂 衣。
Qu Jiang Dui Jiu
Yuan wai jiang tou zuo bu gui
Shui jing gong dian zhuan fei wei.
Tao hua xi zhu yang hua luo
Huang niao shi jian bai niao fei.
Zong yin jiu pan ren gong qi
Lan zhao zhen yu shi xiang wei.
Li qing geng jue cang zhou yuan
Lao da tu shang wei fu yi.
Wine Along the Winding Canals
Outside the Hibiscus Garden riverhead, not wanting to leave
Through the mists, elegant and watered palace halls fading away.
Peach blossoms thinned, poplar flowers have fallen down
Yellow orioles fly together with the white egrets.
Often indulged in drinking, the distinguished and high-brows avoid me
With society the way it is, really want to laze around at dawn.
Government positions enhance my yearning for the seclusion of cang zhou
In old age with lame feet, still have to wear the clothes of a bureaucrat.
Notes:
Hibiscus Garden: Located within the walls of the imperial palace.
Yellow orioles: Those inside the palace, while the white egrets are the normal people living and working outside.
Laze around at dawn: The daily imperial audience with the emperor traditionally occurred at dawn.
Cang Zhou: Literally means dark islets, but figuratively refers to people living in rural seclusion.
