Bai Juyi: Occasionally Fish the Wei River

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Occasionally Fish the Wei River

渭 上 偶 钓
渭 水 如 镜 色
中 有 鲤 与 鲂。
偶 持 一 杆 竹
悬 钓 在 其 旁。
微 风 吹 钩 丝
袅 袅 十 里 长。
谁 知 对 鱼 坐
心 在 无 何 乡。
昔 有 白 头 人
亦 钓 此 渭 阳。
钓 人 不 钓 鱼
七 十 得 文 王。
况 我 垂 钓 意
人 鱼 又 兼 忘。
无 机 两 不 得
但 弄 秋 水 光
兴 尽 钓 亦 罢
归 来 饮 我 觞.

 

 Wei Shang Ou Diao

Wei shui ru jing se
Zhong you li you fang.
Ou chi yi gan zhu
Xuan diao zai qi pang.

Wei feng chui gou si
Niao niao shi li chang.
Shei zhi dui yu zuo
Xin zai wu he xiang.

Xi you bai tou ren
Yi diao ci wei yang.
Diao ren bu diao yu
Qi shi de wen wang.

Kuang wo shui diao yi
Ren yu you jian wang.
Wu ji liang bu de
Dan nong qiu shui guang.
Xing jin diao yi ba
Gui lai yin wo shang.

 

Occasionally Fish the Wei River

Wei River colors like the silver on a mirror
Inside this water there are lucky carp and bream.
Occasionally I hold a single bamboo fishing pole
Linger next to my dangling hook.

For three miles a light breeze sways the leader and hook.
Sitting here fishing with my mind wandering
Daydreams and thoughts travel far in all directions.

In the olden days white-haired people
Gathered in the sun to fish the Wei River.
But they did not fish for fish.
At the age of seventy King Wen
Came here to fish for artistic inspiration.

Trying to do two things at once
I forgot both men and fish.
Without a mind given to deception, I catch neither one
Only wasting time fumbling around here at this autumn water.
With this last bit of enthusiasm for fishing finally finished
I find my way home to drink wine, to let me be carefree and without worries.

 

Notes:

Wei River:  Largest tributary to the Yellow River. It flows through the ancient capital city of Chang’an (Xi’an).

King Wen of Zhou:  (1112-1050 BC (r. 1100-1050 BC) Famous monarch in the last years of the Shang Dynasty. Noted for making an organization for the hexagrams in the Yijing. (I Ching). Many of the odes in the Book of Songs are in praise of him as well.

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