渭川田家

王维

斜光照墟落， 穷巷牛羊归。

野老念牧童， 倚杖候荆扉。

雉雊麦苗秀， 蚕眠桑叶稀。

田夫荷锄立， 相见语依依。

即此羡闲逸， 怅然吟式微。

A FARM-HOUSE ON THE WEI RIVER

Wang Wei

In the slant¹ of the sun on the country-side,

Cattle and sheep trail home along the lane;

And a rugged² old man in a thatch³ door

Leans on a staff and thinks of his son, the herdboy.

There are whirring pheasants? full wheat-ears,

Silk-worms asleep, pared mulberry-leaves.

And the farmers, returning with hoes on their shoulders,

Hail one another familiarly.

…No wonder I long for the simple life

And am sighing the old song, Oh, to go Back Again!