<Header>
<Author: 白居易>
<Title: 自詠五首其五>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1919>
<BookName: Translation from the Chinese>
<Translator: Arthur Waley>
<TranslatedTitle: Written when Governor of Soochow>
<BookPage: 242>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
官舍非我廬，
官園非我樹。
洛中有小宅，
渭上有別墅。
既無婚嫁累，
幸有歸休處。
歸去誠已遲，
猶勝不歸去。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
A Government building, not my own home.
A Government garden, not my own trees.
But at Lo-yang I have a small house
And on Wei River I have built a thatched hut.
I am free from the ties of marrying and giving in marriage;
If I choose to retire, I have somewhere to end my days.
And though I have lingered long beyond my time,
To retire now would be better than not at all!
<End Translation>