Su Dongpo: Brave Fishermen

 

[updated September 2022]

 

Brave Fishermen

 

鱼 蛮 子
江 淮 水 为 田
舟 楫 为 室 居。
鱼 虾 以 为 粮
不 耕 自 有 余。
异 哉 鱼 蛮 子
本 非 左 衽 徒。
连 排 入 江 住
竹 瓦 三 尺 庐。
于 焉 长 子 孙
戚 施 且 株 儒。
擘 水 取 鲂 鲤
易 如 拾 诸 途。
破 釜 不 著 盐
雪 鳞 芼 青 蔬。
一 饱 便 甘 寝
何 异 獭 与 狙。
人 间 行 路 难
踏 地 出 赋 租。
不 知 鱼 蛮 子
驾 浪 浮 空 虚。
空 虚 未 可 知
会 当 算 舟 车。
蛮 子 叩 头 泣
勿 语 桑 大 夫。
Yu Man Zi

Jiang huai shui wei tian
Zhou ji wei shi ju.
Yu xia yi wei liang zhu
Bu geng zi you yu.

Yi zai yu man zi
Ben fei zuo ren tu.
Lian pai ru jiang
Zhu wa san chi lu.

Yu yan chang zi sun
Qi shi qie zhu ru.
Bo shui qu fang li
Yi ru shi zhu tu.

Po fu bu zhu yan
Xue lin mao qing shu.
Yi bao bian gan qin
He yi ta yu ju.

Ren jian xing lu nan
Ta di chu fu zu.
Bu zhi yu man zi
Jia lang fu kong xu.

Kong xu wei ke zhi
Hui dang suan zhou che.
Man zi kou tou qi
Wu yu sang da fu.

 

Brave Fishermen

Huai River water can make for good farmland
Boats and oars make a room for them to live.
Fish and shrimp make for them their food
No need to plough, have enough and then some.

How interesting! These river people
Their origins and clothing not really that different.
Bamboo tied together for raft and roof
Children and grandchildren flourish here.

All relatives are short of stature.
Easily they catch and pull-up carp and bream
Like those on land, they can gather for their needs.
Worn pots and pans do not require salt.

Fish scales go well with green vegetables
Once full, they easily fall into a sweet sleep.
Not much different from the otters
Landlubbers experience difficulty on roads.

People tied to the land are levied rent and taxes
These fierce fishing people are not.
Sails unrestrained, float untied to the land
But they cannot be land secure.

Soon the government will tax both boats and carts
When they saw me, they pleaded with tears
For me not to suggest they pay taxes to the government.