<Header>
<Author: 白居易>
<Title: 東園玩菊>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1919>
<BookName: Translation from the Chinese>
<Translator: Arthur Waley>
<TranslatedTitle: The Chrysanthemums in the Eastern Garden>
<BookPage: 162>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
少年昨已去，
芳歲今又闌。
如何寂莫意，
復此荒涼園。
園中獨立久，
日澹風露寒。
秋蔬盡蕪沒，
好樹亦凋殘。
唯有數叢菊，
新開籬落間。
攜觴聊就酌，
爲爾一留連。
憶我少小日，
易爲興所牽。
見酒無時節，
未飲已欣然。
近從年長來，
漸覺取樂難。
常恐更衰老，
強飲亦無歡。
顧謂爾菊花，
後時何獨鮮。
誠知不爲我，
借爾暫開顏。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
The days of my youth left me long ago;
And now in their turn dwindle my years of prime.
With what thoughts of sadness and loneliness
I walk again in this cold, deserted place!
In the midst of the garden long I stand alone;
The sunshine, faint; the wind and dew chill.
The autumn lettuce is tangled and turned to seed;
The fair trees are blighted and withered away.
All that is left are a few chrysanthemum-flowers
That have newly opened beneath the wattled fence.
I had brought wine and meant to fill my cup,
When the sight of these made me stay my hand.
I remember, when I was young,
How easily my mood changed from sad to gay.
If I saw wine, no matter at what season,
Before I drank it, my heart was already glad.
But now that age comes,
A moment of joy is harder and harder to get.
And always I fear that when I am quite old
The strongest liquor will leave me comfortless.
Therefore I ask you, late chrysanthemum-flower
At this sad season why do you bloom alone?
Though well I know that it was not for my sake,
Taught by you, for a while I will open my face.
<End Translation>