<Header>
<Author: 李商隱>
<Title: 蟬>
<Format: 五言律詩>
<Year: 1987>
<BookName: 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation>
<Translator: 許淵冲, 陸佩弦, 吳鈞陶>
<TranslatedTitle: The Cicada>
<BookPage: 348>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
本以高難飽，
徒勞恨費聲。
五更疎欲斷，
一樹碧無情。
薄宦梗猶汎，
故園蕪已平。
煩君最相警，
我亦舉家清。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
High and aloof, and thus hungry thou hast oft gone,
An endless plaintive tune thou hast spun out in vain.
Before dawn thy weakening song goes off and on.
In a green shade that's indifferent to thy refrain.
Petty official, I've drift'd long to my regret,
Leaving my fields at home desert'd and uncared for.
Bless thee pure singer for the example thou hast set,
Like thee I shall live a lift pure, honest, though poor.
<End Translation>