After Doing Tax Collecting Chores
后 催 租 行
老 父 田 荒 秋 雨 里
旧 时 高 岸 今 江 水。
佣 耕 犹 自 抱 长 饥
的 知 无 力 输 租 来。
自 从 乡 官 新 上 来
黄 纸 放 尽 白 纸 催。
卖 衣 得 钱 都 纳 却
病 骨 虽 寒 聊 免 缚。
去 年 衣 尽 到 家 口
大 女 临 歧 两 分 首。
今 年 次 女 已 行 媒
亦 复 驱 将 换 升 头。
室 中 更 有 第 三 女
明 年 不 怕 催 租 苦。
Hou Cui Zu Xing
Jiu shi gao an jin jiang shui.
Yong geng you zi bao chang ji
Di zhi wu li shu zu lai
Zi cong xiang guan xin shang lai.
Huang zhi fang jin bai zhi cui.
Mai yi de qian dou na que
Bing gu sui han liao mian fu
Qu nian yi jin dao jia kou
Da nu lin qi liang fen shou.
Jin nian ci nu yi xing mei
Yi fu qu jiang huan sheng tou.
Shi zhong geng you di san nu
Ming nian bu pa cui zu ku.
After Doing Tax Collecting Chores
Autumn rainfall, for miles old men in saturated fields
In olden times upper riverbanks are now under river flows.
Like a natural embrace, long-time hunger for the tenant farmers
Now realize they may not be able to play their land rent.
Government officials demand payment even though imperial edicts say otherwise
Emperor released the farmers from their annual taxes.
Some have to sell their clothes to raise this money
Although bones are weak, they can barely avoid prison time.
Last year’s clothes were enough to keep some family members
Some had to sell their oldest daughter before marriage.
This year a line of matchmakers arrive for negotiations
Also have to barter and sell some foodstuffs as well
The third daughter will also be sold away
They do not fear being short for next year’s land taxes.