<Header>
<Author: 韓愈>
<Title: 感春四首 四>
<Format: 七言古詩>
<Year: 1898>
<BookName: Chinese Poetry in English Verse>
<Translator: Herbert A. Gile>
<TranslatedTitle: DISCONTENT>
<BookPage: 117-118>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 2, 3, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
我恨不如江頭人，
長網橫江遮紫鱗。
獨宿荒陂射鳧雁，
賣納租賦官不嗔。
歸來歡笑對妻子，
衣食自給寧羞貧。
今者無端讀書史，
智慧祗足勞精神。
畫蛇著足無處用，
兩鬢霜白趨埃塵。
乾愁漫解坐自累，
與眾異趣誰相親。
數杯澆腸雖暫醉，
皎皎萬慮醒還新。
百年未滿不得死，
且可勤買拋青春。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
0
To stand upon the river-bank and snare the purple fish,
My net well cast across the stream, $(was all that I could wish.)$
Or lie concealed and shoot the geese that scream and pass apace.
And pay my rent and taxes with the profits of the chase.
Then home to peace and happiness, with wife and children gay,
Though clothes be coarse and fare be hard, and earned from day to day.
But now I read and read, scarce knowing what 'tis all about,
And eager to improve my mind I wear my body out.
I draw a snake and give it legs, to find I've wasted skill,
And my hair grows daily whiter as I hurry towards the hill.
I sit amid the sorrows I have brought on my own head,
And find myself estranged from all, among the living dead.
I seek to drown my consciousness in wine, alas! in vain:
Oblivion passes quickly and my griefs begin again.
Old age comes on and yet withholds the summons to depart......
So I'll take another bumper just to ease my aching heart.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
0
My net well cast across the stream, To stand upon the river-bank and snare the purple fish, $(was all that I could wish.)$
Or lie concealed and shoot the geese that scream and pass apace.
And pay my rent and taxes with the profits of the chase.
Then home to peace and happiness, with wife and children gay,
Though clothes be coarse and fare be hard, and earned from day to day.
But now I read and read, scarce knowing what 'tis all about,
And eager to improve my mind I wear my body out.
I draw a snake and give it legs, to find I've wasted skill,
And my hair grows daily whiter as I hurry towards the hill.
I sit amid the sorrows I have brought on my own head,
And find myself estranged from all, among the living dead.
I seek to drown my consciousness in wine, alas! in vain:
Oblivion passes quickly and my griefs begin again.
Old age comes on and yet withholds the summons to depart......
So I'll take another bumper just to ease my aching heart.
<End Formatted Translation>