1. "Miscellaneous Poems of Jihai" by Gong Zizhen
The sun is setting in the day when I am about to leave, and I sing my whip to the east and point to the end of the world.
The falling red is not a heartless thing, it turns into spring mud to protect the flowers.
Translation:
The vast sorrow of farewell extends to the distance where the sunset sets to the west. When you raise your riding whip to the east, you will reach the end of the world from now on.
When I resigned and returned home, I was like a fallen flower falling from a branch, but it was not a heartless thing. It turned into soil and could also play a role in nurturing the next generation.
2. "Mooring in Qinhuai" by Du Mu
The smoke is in the cold water, the moon is in the sand, and I am mooring in Qinhuai at night near a restaurant.
Shang girls don’t know the hatred for the country’s subjugation, but they still sing the flowers in the backyard across the river.
Translation:
Smoke covered the water, moonlight covered the beach, and the boat was moored in Qinhuai at night, close to the restaurant on the shore.
People in the restaurant are still having fun, and those singing girls who are smiling are unaware of the pain of the country's subjugation. Across the Qinhuai River, they can faintly hear the song of Yushu Backyard Flowers.
3. "Jia Sheng" Li Shangyin
The promulgation office seeks talents and visits ministers, but Jia Sheng's talents are even more unmatched.
It’s a pity that I sit down at the front table in the middle of the night and don’t ask about the common people or the ghosts and gods.
Translation:
When Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty consulted the wise ministers who had been demoted in the Xuanshi, Jia Yi's talent and style were unparalleled.
It was late at night when Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty moved his knees to get closer to him. Unfortunately, he did not inquire about the people's livelihood but instead inquired about ghosts and gods.
4. "Passing through Songyuan Chenchuiqi Gongtian" Yang Wanli
Mo Yan said that it would be easy to go down to the ridge, and he would be wrongly liked by passers-by.
The government enters the siege of thousands of mountains, and one mountain releases another mountain block.
Translation:
Don’t say that there is no difficulty in going down the mountain. Let the people who come to climb the mountain rejoice in vain.
When you enter the mountains, you will be blocked by another mountain just after climbing one mountain.
5. "Invitation" Zhao Shixiu
It rains every house during the yellow plum season, and frogs are everywhere in the grassy ponds.
I didn’t come over at midnight because I had an appointment, so I knocked on the chess pieces and let the lanterns fall.
Translation:
In the yellow plum season, every household is wrapped in mist and rain. In the green grass and ponds, frogs chirp one after another, melodious and sweet.
Why haven’t the invited friends come yet? It was already past midnight, and I was afraid that he might not come. I held the chess piece in my hand and tapped the table gently, waiting for the guests. I only saw one of the lanterns falling every now and then.