孟浩然: 望洞庭湖赠张丞相/ meng haoran: a message from lake dongtin to premier zhang

望洞庭湖赠张丞相

孟浩然

八月湖水平， 涵虚混太清。

气蒸云梦泽， 波撼岳阳城。

欲济无舟楫， 端居耻圣明。

坐观垂钓者， 空有羡鱼情。

　

a message from lake dongtin to premier zhang

meng haoran

here in the eighth-month the waters of the lake

are of a single air with heaven,

and a mist from the yun and meng valleys

has beleaguered the city of youzhou.

i should like to cross, but i can find no boat.

...how ashamed i am to be idler than you statesmen,

as i sit here and watch a fisherman casting

and emptily envy him his catch.