Observing Farmers and Their Households
观 田 家
微 雨 众 卉 新
一 雷 惊 蛰 始。
田 家 几 日 闲
耕 种 从 就 起。
丁 壮 俱 在 野
场 圃 亦 就 理。
归 来 景 常 晏
饮 犊 西 涧 水。
饥 劬 不 自 苦
膏 泽 且 为 喜。
仓 廪 无 宿 储
徭 役 犹 未 已。
方 惭 不 耕 者
禄 食 出 闾 里。
Guan Tian Jia
Wei yu zhong hui xin
Yi lei jing zhe shi.
Tian jia ji ri xian
Geng zhong cong jiu qi.
Ding zhuang ju zai ye
Chang pu yi jiu li.
Gui lai jing chang yan
Yin du xi jian shui.
Ji qu bu zi ku
Gao ze qie wei xi.
Cang lin wu su chu
Yao yi you wei yi.
Fang can bu geng zhe
Lu shi chu lu li.
Observing Farmers and Their Households
Light rain, many grasses new and fresh
One thunderclap startles those in hibernation.
Farmer families with only a few days of leisure
Begin to plow and cultivate the land.
All of the strong men are in the open fields
Clean up and put in order the growing beds and threshing areas.
Often return home late in the day
Oxen and workers drink and get washed in the western streams.
Despite hunger and fatigue, they are not bitter
Timely rainfall for now creates joy.
Granary silos without any stored up surpluses
Forced government service has yet to stop.
Those not working the fields should feel shame
Of every twenty-five households, each government official has food
and an official’s salary.