Month of May, Traveling Through Eastern Shandong, Answer the Old People of Wen Shang
五 月 东 鲁 行 答 汶 上 翁
五 月 梅 始 黄
蚕 凋 桑 柘 空。
鲁 人 重 织 作
极 杼 鸣 帘 栊。
顾 余 不 及 仕
学 剑 来 山 东。
举 鞭 访 前 涂
获 笑 汶 上 翁。
下 愚 忽 壮 士
未 足 论 穷 通。
我 以 一 简 书
能 取 聊 城 功。
终 然 不 受 赏
羞 与 时 人 同。
西 归 去 直 道
落 日 昏 阴 虹。
此 去 尔 勿 言
甘 心 如 转 蓬。
Wu Yue Dong Lu Xing Da Wen Shang Weng
Wu yue mei shi huang
Can diao sang zhe kong.
Lu ren chong zhi zuo
Ji zhu ming lian long.
Gu yu bu ji shi
Xue jian lai shan dong.
Ju bian fang qian tu
Huo xiao fen shang weng.
Xia yu hu zhuang shi
Wei zu lun qiong tong.
Wo yi yi jian shu
Neng qu liao cheng gong.
Zhong ran bu shou shang
Xiu yu shi ren tong.
Xi gui qu zhi dao
Luo ri hun yin hong.
Ci qu er wu yan
Gan xin ru chuan peng.
Month of May, Traveling Through Eastern Shandong, Answer the Old People of Wen Shang
In May, Chinese plum trees turning yellow
Silkworms wither, mulberry and cudrania trees bare.
Shandong people weave and knit to make many things
Loom sounds behind curtained windows.
This visitor not interested in an official position
Came to Shandong to study sword skills and the marital arts.
Time to go to the whip to obtain a future
Old people of Fen Shang laugh at me.
But actually they are foolish, ignore what is splendid and intelligent
Not yet able to discuss philosophy with an informed opinion.
With one sword and one book
I have the skills to conquer a whole city.
Do not need to accept the rewards and accolades
Shame on me to give you the same time.
The path to the capital is straight and simple
Though many people have died along the way.
Do not need any of our words
Prefer the heart-mind of a rolling tumbleweed.
Commentary:
Song of an ambitious and youthful Li Bai.