<Header>
<Author: 白居易>
<Title: 何處堪避暑>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1981>
<BookName: Tu Fu -A New Translation>
<Translator: Wu, Juntao>
<TranslatedTitle: Where to Avoid the Heat?>
<BookPage: 551>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 1>
<End Header>
<Poem>
何處堪避暑
林間背日樓
何處好追涼
池上隨風舟
日高飢始食
食竟飽還遊
遊罷睡一覺
覺來茶一甌
眼明見青山
耳醒聞碧流
脫襪閒濯足
解巾快掻頭
如此來幾時
已過六七秋
從心至百骸
無一不自由
拙退是其分
榮耀非所求
雖被世間笑
終無身外憂
此語君莫怪
靜思吾亦愁
如何三伏月
楊尹謫虔州
<End Poem>
<Translation>
Where can we escape the heat?
The tower in the forest
Turns its back on the sun.
Where can we pursue the shade?
Surely in a boat that follows the breeze on the pond.
When the sun is high, I'm almost starved,
Then I first really commence to eat
And having eaten to the full
Continue to enjoy myself until I sleep.
Awaking from my nap, I sip a bowl of tea.
With eager eyes I study the green mountains.
Hearing the stream's jade current,
I take off my socks and idly wash my feet.
I remove my turban and happily scratch my head.
How long have I lived in this fashion?
Six or seven autumns already.
My spirit's free to the last bone in my body;
My fate has been to retreat foolishly,
Honor and glory unsought.
Yes, the world may laugh at me
But I've no external cares.
Don't think my words strange
But quietly consider
That I, too, am grieved
For in the heat of summer
You, Intendant Yang, have been sent
In demotion to Ch'ien-chou.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
Where can we escape the heat?
The tower in the forest turns its back on the sun.
Where can we pursue the shade?
Surely in a boat that follows the breeze on the pond.
When the sun is high, I'm almost starved, then I first really commence to eat
And having eaten to the full
Continue to enjoy myself until I sleep.
Awaking from my nap, I sip a bowl of tea.
With eager eyes I study the green mountains.
Hearing the stream's jade current,
I take off my socks and idly wash my feet.
I remove my turban and happily scratch my head.
How long have I lived in this fashion?
Six or seven autumns already.
To the last bone in my body
My spirit's free;
My fate has been to retreat foolishly,
Honor and glory unsought.
Yes, the world may laugh at me
But I've no external cares.
Don't think my words strange
But quietly consider that I, too, am grieved
For in the heat of summer
You, Intendant Yang, have been sent in demotion to Ch'ien-chou.
<End Formatted Translation>