[updated September 2022]
Leave For Huangzhou
初 到 黄 州
自 笑 平 生 为 口 忙
老 来 事 业 转 荒 唐。
长 江 绕 郭 知 鱼 美
好 竹 连 山 觉 笋 香。
逐 客 不 妨 员 外 置
诗 人 例 作 水 曹 郎。
只 惭 无 补 丝 毫 事
尚 费 官 家 压 酒 囊。
Chu Dao Huang Zhou
Zi xiao ping sheng wei kou mang
Lao lai shi ye zhuan huang tang.
Chang jiang rao guo zhi yu mei
Hao zhu lian shan jue sun xiang.
Zhu ke bu fang yuan wai zhi
Shi ren li zuo shui cao lang.
Zhi can wu bu si hao shi
Shang fei guan jia ya jiu nang.
Leaving For Huangzhou
Laugh at myself for spending my whole life working for food
Old troubles arrive (my writing too much), change into the absurd and ridiculous.
Beautiful fish know the Changjiang eddies and whirlpools
Fine bamboo-covered mountains, I can smell the aromas of bamboo shoots.
In this place I am outside the palace insiders
Many former poets were also working in the Ministry of Waterworks.
Only feel shame for being forbidden to write about what I really think
Also waste government resources storing up bags of wine.