Bai Juyi: Watching Them Harvest Grain

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Watching Them Harvest Grain

观 稼
世 役 不 我 牵
身 心 常 自 若。
晚 出 看 田 亩
闲 行 旁 村 落。
累 累 绕 场 稼
啧 啧 群 飞 雀。
年 丰 岂 独 人
禽 鸟 声 亦 乐。
田 翁 逢 我 喜
默 起 具 樽 勺。
敛 手 笑 相 延
社 酒 有 残 酌。
愧 兹 勒 且 敬
藜 杖 为 淹 泊。
言 动 任 天 真
未 觉 农 人 恶。
停 杯 向 声 事
夫 种 妻 儿 获。
筋 力 苦 疲 劳
衣 食 长 单 薄。
自 惭 禄 仕 者
曾 不 营 农 作。
饱 食 无 所 劳
何 殊 卫 人 鹤。

 

Guan Jia

Shi yi bu wo qian
Shen xin tang zi ruo.
Wan chu kan tian mu
Xian xing pang cun luo.

Lei lei rao chang jia
Ze ze qun fei qiao.
Nian feng qi du ren
Qin niao sheng yi le.

Tian weng feng wo xi
Mo qi ju zun shao.
Lian shou xiao xiang yan
She jiu you can zhuo.

Kui zi le qie jing
Li zhang wei yan bo.
Yan dong ren tian zhen
Wei jue nong ren wu.

Ting bei wen sheng shi
Fu zhong qi er huo.
Jin li ku pi lao
Yi shi chang dan bo.

Zi can lu shi zhe
Ceng bu ying nong zuo.
Bao shi wu suo lao
He shu wei ren he.

 

Watching Them Harvest Grain

Free from public service entanglements
Body and mind often natural and free.
Go out in the evening to see acres of fields
Leisurely walk the village borders to write this down.

Accumulated grain stalks taken to the threshing ground
Flocks of chirping in-flight sparrows.
This year’s bumper crop not just good for people
Joyful sounds from animals and birds.

My joy to encounter old field hands
Silently arose to bring a ladle and cups for wine.
With a smile, his hands beckon me to help myself
Poured out the remnants for this autumn harvest.

A bit ashamed this wine was not good enough for me
Stayed so late they offered this poor man a cane for help and protection.
Their talk so true, naïve and close to heaven
I do not sense anything wrong with these farmers.

They kept asking me questions and offered cups to delay my departure
The men had their wives and children to help with the harvest.
Laborer’s muscle power sore and exhausted
Work only for the minimums of food and clothing.

Naturally I feel ashamed receiving a government salary
Unaware of the rural ways to sow and harvest.
Without manual labor, I can eat food until full
I am not much more than a crane compared to these common folk.

 

Commentary:

This poem appears to be a companion, and maybe even a continuation, of the poem titled “Watching the Wheat Harvest”.  It can be found on this website.

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