<Header>
<Author: 元結>
<Title: 賊退示官吏>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1944>
<BookName: A FURTHER SELECTION FROM THE THREE HUNDRED POEMS OF THE T'ANG DYNASTY>
<Translator: SOAME JENYNS>
<TranslatedTitle: I point out to the Officials even Thieves have Mercy>
<BookPage: 22-23>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 4, 5>
<End Header>
<Poem>
昔歲逢太平，
山林二十年。
泉源在庭戶，
洞壑當門前。
井稅有常期，
日晏猶得眠。
忽然遭世變，
數歲親戎旃。
今來典斯郡，
山夷又紛然。
城小賊不屠，
人貧傷可憐。
是以陷隣境，
此州獨見全。
使臣將王命，
豈不如賊焉。
今彼徴斂者，
迫之如火煎。
誰能絕人命，
以作時世賢。
思欲委符節，
引竿自刺船。
將家就魚麥，
歸老江湖邊。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
In former years tranquility reigned.
For twenty years I lived among the wooded hills
A spring flowed before my house,
Peaceful ravines stretched away before my front door.
The land taxes were levied at fixed times.
In those days people could sleep freely.
Suddenly there came unrest
For several years I found myself in the imperial army
Now I come to be magistrate of this region.
The mountain barbarians ravage the land
But the bandits do not come to butcher our small city.
They pity our poverty,
And so they move on to attack neighbouring regions.
This district alone entirely is safe.
You officials who hold the royal warrant
Why are you not as good as they?
To-day the tax collectors crush the people
Roasting them over the fire (of their exactions).
Who will have the strength to come to their rescue
And become the hero of the age?
My wish is to hand over my tally
To take a pole and push off my boat
Moving my family to where they shall live on fish and grain,
And the home of my old age will be beside the lakes and rivers.
<End Translation>