<Header>
<Author: 白居易>
<Title: 納粟>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1934>
<BookName: SELECT CHINESE VERSES>
<Translator: HERBERT A. GILES & ARTHUR WALEY>
<TranslatedTitle: The Grain Tribute>
<BookPage: 94>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 1>
<End Header>
<Poem>
有吏夜叩門，
高聲催納粟。
家人不待曉，
場上張燈燭。
揚簸淨如珠，
一車三十斛。
猶憂納不中，
鞭責及僮僕。
昔余謬從事，
內媿才不足。
連授四命官，
坐尸十年祿。
常聞古人語，
損益周必復。
今日諒甘心，
還他太倉穀。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
There came an officer knocking by night at my door—
In a loud voice demanding grain-tribute.
My house-servants dared not wait till morning,
But brought candles and set them on the farm-yard
Through sifting and winnowing, clean washed as pearls,
A whole cart-load, thirty bushels of grain
But still they cry it is not paid in full:
With whips and curses they goad my servants and boys.
Once, in error, I entered public life;
I am inwardly ashamed that my talents were not sufficient.
In succession, I occupied four official posts;
For doing nothing—ten years' salary!
Often have I heard that saying of ancient men
That "superabundance and scarcity follow each other in a circuit."
And to-day it ought to set my heart at rest
To return to others the corn in my great barn.
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
There came an officer knocking by night at my door—
In a loud voice demanding grain-tribute.
My house-servants dared not wait till morning,
But brought candles and set them on the farm-yard
Through sifting and winnowing, clean washed as pearls,
A whole cart-load, thirty bushels of grain
But still they cry it is not paid in full:
With whips and curses they goad my servants and boys.
Once, in error, I entered public life;
I am inwardly ashamed that my talents were not sufficient.
In succession, I occupied four official posts;
For doing nothing—ten years' salary!
Often have I heard that saying of ancient men
That "superabundance and scarcity follow each other in a circuit."
And to-day it ought to set my heart at rest
To return to others the corn in my great barn.
<End Formatted Translation>