五言古诗英汉对照-感遇其四

　　张九龄

　　感遇其四

　　江南有丹橘， 经冬犹绿林；

　　岂伊地气暖？ 自有岁寒心。

　　可以荐嘉客， 奈何阻重深？

　　运命惟所遇， 循环不可寻。

　　徒言树桃李， 此木岂无阴？

　　Five-character-ancient-verse

　　Zhang Jiuling

　　ORCHID¹ AND ORANGE II

　　Here, south of the Yangzi, grows a red orangetree.

　　All winter long its leaves are green,

　　Not because of a warmer soil,

　　But because its' nature is used to the cold.

　　Though it might serve your honourable² guests,

　　You leave it here, far below mountain and river.

　　Circumstance governs destiny.

　　Cause and effect are an infinite cycle.

　　You plant your peach-trees and your plums,

　　You forget the shade from this other tree.