<Header>
<Author: 皮日休>
<Title: 正樂府十篇 橡媼歎>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1989>
<BookName: 100 TANG POEMS 唐詩一百首>
<Translator: Zhang Tingchen & Bruce M. Wilson>
<TranslatedTitle: Lament for the Woman Gathering Acorns>
<BookPage: 232-235>
<UsedPage: 4>
<Feature: 1, 3, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
秋深橡子熟，
散落榛蕪岡。
傴傴黃髪媼，
拾之踐晨霜。
移時始盈掬，
盡日方滿筐。
幾曝復幾蒸，
用作三冬糧。
山前有熟稻，
紫穗襲人香。
細獲又精舂，
粒粒如玉璫。
持之納於官，
私室無倉箱。
如何一石餘，
只作五斗量。
狡吏不畏刑，
貪官不避贓。
農時作私債，
農畢歸官倉。
自冬及於春，
橡實誑飢腸。
吾聞田成子，
詐仁猶自王。
吁嗟逢橡媼，
不覺淚霑裳。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
In late autumn the acorns ripen,
Falling upon the bramble covered hills.
A hump-backed woman with yellowed hair
Treads upon the morning frost to glean them.
An hour's labour gives her but a handful,
A basketful of acorns for the day.
Steamed and set in the sun again and again,
They will be used as grain throughout the winter.
Before the mountain there are 00 purple ears of rice
Whose fragrance far and wide assails the nostrils.
Carefully gathered, expertly husked,
Each kernel like a pendant of jade,
All is handed over to the government,
Northing remains in private store.
How is it that one dan or more
Is counted only as five dou?
Cunning officials need not fear superiors' reprimands
Nor do the covetous bother to hide their spoils.
Of what is borrowed privately at planting
More must be returned to public granaries at harvest.
From wintertime to summer,
Acorns cheat the empty stomach.
Even Tian Cheng-zi, if what I've learned be true,
Still knew that to be king he must feign kindness.
Coming across this woman gathering acorns,
No wonder that these sleeves are drenched with tears.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
In late autumn the acorns ripen,
Falling upon the bramble covered hills.
A hump-backed woman with yellowed hair
Treads upon the morning frost to glean them.
An hour's labour gives her but a handful,
A basketful of acorns for the day.
Steamed and set in the sun again and again,
They will be used as grain throughout the winter.
Before the mountain there are 00
purple ears of rice Whose fragrance far and wide assails the nostrils.
Carefully gathered, expertly husked,
Each kernel like a pendant of jade,
All is handed over to the government,
Northing remains in private store.
How is it that one dan or more
Is counted only as five dou?
Cunning officials need not fear superiors' reprimands
Nor do the covetous bother to hide their spoils.
Of what is borrowed privately at planting
More must be returned to public granaries at harvest.
From wintertime to summer,
Acorns cheat the empty stomach.
Even Tian Cheng-zi, if what I've learned be true,
Still knew that to be king he must feign kindness.
Coming across this woman gathering acorns,
No wonder that these sleeves are drenched with tears.
<End Formatted Translation>