The ancient poems describing the love of reading include
Reading on a winter night shows Ziyu
Lu You? [Song Dynasty]
The ancients spared no effort in learning. When you are young, you can only succeed when you are old.
What you have learned on paper will eventually make you realize it, but you will definitely know that this matter must be carried out.
Translation
The ancients spared no effort in learning knowledge. They worked hard when they were young and achieved success in old age.
After all, the knowledge obtained from books is not perfect enough. To thoroughly understand and learn knowledge, one must practice it personally.
Encouragement to study
Yan Zhenqing? [Tang Dynasty]
It is the time for men to study when the lights are on at three and the chickens are on at five.
Black-haired people don’t know how to study diligently early, and white-haired people regret studying late.
Translation
Reading at midnight is a good time for men to read at night.
Young people don’t know how to get up early and study hard. When you get older, you will regret that you don’t study enough.
One of Two Poems from Bailu Cave
Wang Zhenbai? [Tang Dynasty]
I am already deep in spring when I am reading. Every inch of time is worth an inch of gold.
It is not the Taoist who comes to make people laugh, Zhou Qing and Kong Sizheng are pursuing it.
Translation
Concentrating on reading, it is late spring before I know it, and every inch of time is as precious as an inch of gold.
If it were not for the Taoist to make me laugh, I would still be delving deeply into the essence and teachings of Confucius, Duke of Zhou.
Reading
Lu You? [Song Dynasty]
I returned to Zhining without a five-acre garden, and my original intention of reading was in Yuan and Yuan Dynasties.
Although my eyesight in front of the lamp is not the same as before, I still have to learn 20,000 words.
Translation
The ambition to return home and live in seclusion would still be the same even without the five acres of farmland. The original intention of studying was for the common people.
Reading under the lamp, my eyes were no longer what they used to be, but I still finished reading twenty thousand small words.