<Header>
<Author: 韋應物>
<Title: 信州錄事參軍常曾古鼎歌>
<Format: 七言古詩>
<Year: 2009>
<BookName: In Such Hard Times: The Poetry of Wei Ying-wu>
<Translator: Pine, Red>
<TranslatedTitle: Song on the Ancient Tripod of Administrative Supervisor Ch'ang Tseng of Hsinchou>
<BookPage: 104-105>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 5>
<End Header>
<Poem>
三年糾一郡，
獨飲寒泉井。
江南鑄器多鑄銀，
罷官無物唯古鼎。
雕螭刻篆相錯盤，
地中歲久青苔寒。
左對蒼山右流水，
云有古來葛仙子。
葛仙埋之何不還，
耕者鎗然得其間。
持示世人不知寶，
勸君煉丹永壽考。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
For three years you chastised a whole district
drinking from cold spring wells
the metalwork of Chiangnan is known for its silver
you resigned and came back with only this bronze
carved with dragons and intertwining inscriptions
in the ground so long it's as green as winter moss
on one side a mountain on the other a river
Ko the Immortal long ago they say
Master Ko buried it but never returned
then a farmer plowing struck it with a twang
instead of showing those who don't know its value
why not smelt cinnabar and try to live forever
<End Translation>