Translation of Ancient Chinese Poetry into English
I. 《静夜思》 Thoughts on a Quiet Night
床前明月光，疑是地上霜。举头望明月，低头思故乡。
Bright moonlight shining by my bed,
I wonder if there's frost on the ground.
Raising my head, I gaze at the moon so fair,
Lowering it, I miss my hometown sound.
II. 《登高》 On Climbing a Mountain
白日依山尽，黄河入海流。欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。
Mountains end where daylight fades,
The Yellow River flows to the sea's embrace.
To glimpse a thousand miles beyond,
Climb higher still, a better view to bond.
III. 《夜泊牛渚怀古》 Night Mooring at Cow's Crossing, with Reminiscence
牛渚西江夜，青天无片云。登舟望明月，空忆谢家辕。
Moored at Cow's Crossing on the West River at night,
No clouds in the blue sky in sight.
Watching the full moon from the ship's deck,
I miss the time in Xie's horse cart lane, in a neck to neck.
IV. 《悯农》 Sympathy for the Peasants
春种一粒粟，秋收万颗子。四海无闲田，农夫犹饿死。
Springtime, one kernel for each seed,
Autumn, a thousand harvested indeed.
Nowhere does idle farmland exist,
Farmers starve more, I would insist.
V. 《登鹳雀楼》 On Ascending the Crane Tower
白日依山尽，黄河入海流。欲窮千里目，更上一層樓。
Sunset glows over the western mountain top,
The Yellow River runs into the sea and won't stop.
To see more than a thousand miles away,
Climb higher to ascend to Crane Tower today.
