TUNE: UNIVERSAL JOY 

Teng Bin 

Yuan Dynasty

Lotus blooms fade,

Green plane leaves fall.

Hills on hills appear lean,

Woods on woods cast less shade.

Of what avail, 

Are the fame and gains small?

Like the horn of a snail, 

Or the head of a fly green?

Why not get drunk with poet in his east bower,

Among chrysanthemums in flower,

Why not till with plough in hand,

A few acres of land.

With your yellow buffalo?

Why don't you homeward go?

普天乐

[元]滕宾

翠荷残,

苍梧坠。

千山应瘦,

万木皆稀。

蜗角名,

蝇头利,

输与渊明陶陶醉。

尽黄菊围绕东篱,

良田数顷,

黄牛一只,归去来兮。

About the translator 

Xu Yuanchong (1921-2021) was born in Nanchang in East China's Jiangxi Province. He was a professor of literary translation at Peking University.

About the poet 

Teng Bin was a Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) poet who was known for his unique writing styles.

About the book 

Golden Treasury of Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Poetry Translated by Xu Yuanchong & Xu Ming, Beijing, 2019