Evening of my life

To the mansion of a young rich family's master,
who arranged a reward [for an answer to his question]

In the evening of my life I only like the quiet
I'm not concerned about anything
I don't consider any long-term plans for myself
I know it's unpractical to return to the woods of old
The wind blowing through the pine trees used to untie my belt
As I played the harp, the Mountain Moon shone on it
Mister, you ask why one is unfortunate and the other not
It's like in the fishing song: deep he went on land

-- 王維 Wáng Wéi -- Translation by 白狐 Bái Hú --

酬張少府 Chóu zhāng shào fŭ
王維 Wáng wéi

晚年惟好靜，Wăn nián wéi hào jìng,
萬事不關心。Wàn shì bù guānxīn
自顧無長策，Zì gù wú cháng cè,
空知返舊林。Kōng zhī făn jìu lín.
松風吹解帶，Sōngfēng chūi jiě dài,
山月照彈琴。Shānyùe zhào tán qín
君問窮通理，Jūn wèn qióngtōng lĭ,
漁歌入浦深。Yúgē rù pŭ shēn

[reward arrange young master ... residence]
evening age only like quiet
10000-thing not be concerned about
self turn-look no long(-term) plan
empty know return past woods
pine wind blow untie belt
mountain Moon shine play string-instrument
[luàntánqín = act/talk like a fool]
mister-you ask limit-open(ness) texture/ratio
fish song enter riverside deep

Source poem in Chinese >
http://poemsintranslation.blogspot.nl/search/label/Wang%20Wei