Received Information From Wei Zhi, He Has Arrived at His Government Position in Tongzhou, Sent Me This Letter About His Job, Sorry You Have These Bad Feelings, I Wrote Four Sections: Section #1
(1)
得 微 之 到 官 后 书， 备 知 通 州 之 事， 怅 然 有 感 因 成 四 章
来 书 子 细 说 通 州
州 在 山 根 峡 岸 头。
四 面 千 重 火 云 合
中 心 一 道 瘴 江 流。
虫 蛇 白 昼 拦 官 道
蚊 蟆 黄 昏 扑 郡 楼。
何 罪 遣 君 居 此 地？
天 高 无 处 问 来 由。
De Wei Zhi Dao Guan Hou Shu, Bei Zhi Tong Zhou Zhi Shi, Chang Ran You Gan Yin Cheng Si Zhang
(1)
Lai shu zi xi shui tong zhou
Zhou zai shan gen xia an tou.
Si mian qian chong huo yun he
Zhong xin yi dao zhang jiang liu.
Chong she bai zhou lan guan dao
Wen ma huang hun pu jun lou.
He zui qian jun ju ci di?
Tian gao wu chu wen lai you.
Received Information From Wei Zhi, He Has Arrived at His Government Position in Tongzhou, Sent Me This Letter About His Job, Sorry You Have These Bad Feelings, I Wrote Four Sections: Section #1
Your letter arrived describing all the details about Tongzhou
A mountainous place, gorge rapids make transportation difficult.
All four directions have thousands of cloud layers that block the sun
In the city, one path along the river where miasma flows.
White daylight, tigers and snakes clog up the government roads
Yellow dusk, mosquitoes and leeches pounce on you from government buildings.
What kind of wrong did you commit to deserve this?
Emperor so high, I cannot ask him why you are in this place.
Notes:
Wei Zhi: Close friend of Bai Juyi as they served in the capital Chang’an.
Miasma: An unwholesome atmosphere arising from marshes and decomposing plants and animals.
