<Header>
<Author: 王維>
<Title: 獻始興公>
<Format: 五古>
<Year: 1973>
<BookName: Poems of Wang Wei>
<Translator: Robinson, G. W>
<TranslatedTitle: Presented to the Duke of Shin-hsing>
<BookPage: 80>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
寧棲野樹林，
寧飲澗水流。
不用坐梁肉，
崎嶇見王侯。
鄙哉匹夫節，
布褐將白頭。
任智誠則短，
守任固其優。
側聞大君子，
安問黨與讎。
所不賣公器，
動為蒼生謀。
賤子跪自陳，
可為帳下不。
感激有公議，
曲私非所求。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
Rather perch in a wild wood
Rather drink from a mountain stream
Than consume fine rice and meat
And struggle for audience of the great
How crude this vulgar frugality
But I shall dress coarsely till my head is white
Intelligence may not be my forte
But I may claim to be humane
They say that Your Excellency
Makes no distinction of friend and foe
That you do not sell offices
That all your activities are for all the people
Your humble servant thus petitions you:
Could he find a place in your ministry
With gratitude for choice on public ground
Without desire for private preference.
<End Translation>