元稹: 遣悲怀（之一）/ yuan zhen: an elegy i

遣悲怀（之一）

元稹

谢公最小偏怜女， 自嫁黔娄百事乖。

顾我无衣搜荩箧， 泥他沽酒拔金钗。

野蔬充膳甘长藿， 落叶添薪仰古槐。

今日俸钱过十万， 与君营奠复营斋。

　

an elegy i

yuan zhen

o youngest, best-loved daughter of xie,

who unluckily married this penniless scholar,

you patched my clothes from your own wicker basket,

and i coaxed off your hairpins of gold, to buy wine with;

for dinner we had to pick wild herbs --

and to use dry locust-leaves for our kindling.

...today they are paying me a hundred thousand --

and all that i can bring to you is a temple sacrifice.