<Header>
<Author: 元結>
<Title: 賊退示官吏>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1987>
<BookName: 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation>
<Translator: 許淵冲, 陸佩弦, 吳鈞陶>
<TranslatedTitle: To Officers After the Retreat of the Raiders>
<BookPage: 218-219>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 5>
<End Header>
<Poem>
昔歲逢太平，
山林二十年。
泉源在庭戶，
洞壑當門前。
井稅有常期，
日晏猶得眠。
忽然遭世變，
數歲親戎旃。
今來典斯郡，
山夷又紛然。
城小賊不屠，
人貧傷可憐。
是以陷隣境，
此州獨見全。
使臣將王命，
豈不如賊焉。
今彼徴斂者，
迫之如火煎。
誰能絕人命，
以作時世賢。
思欲委符節，
引竿自刺船。
將家就魚麥，
歸老江湖邊。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
In the past when peace prevailed,
For long I a hermit did simulate.
A spring gushed in my coutryard,
A vale opened out before my gate.
The tax was regular and light,
It was possible to get up late.

Suddenly a civil war broke out,
I was called up to join the campaign.
Since I took charge of this area,
The tribesmen have made havoc agai
But the raiders spared our small town,
And the poor people living in pain.
While neighbouring towns were sacked,
Our area has remained intact.
Should the royal tax commissioners
More cruelly than the rebels act?
Should the taxed and levied
Be subjected to a broiling severe?
Can one deprive others of living
And yet attain a famous career?

I'll turn to poling my own boat
And my assigned post forsake,
Lead my family to fishing,
And spend my last days by a lake.
<End Translation>