wàng Dòng Tíng Hú zèng Zhāng Chéng Xiàng 望洞庭湖赠张丞相 Gazing at Dongting Lake, Presented to Prime Minister Zhang

by 孟浩然(Mèng Hàorán)

bā yuè hú shuǐ píng, hán xū hùn tài qīng.
八月湖水平，涵虚混太清。
In the eighth month, the lake is calm and full; its vast expanse blends with the pure sky.

qì zhēng yún mèng zé, bō hàn yuè yáng chéng.
气蒸云梦泽，波撼岳阳城。
Vapor steams from the Yunmeng marshes; waves shake the walls of Yueyang city.

yù jì wú zhōu jí, duān jū chǐ shèng míng.
欲济无舟楫，端居耻圣明。
I wish to cross but have no boat or oars; idling at home, I feel ashamed in this enlightened age.

zuò guān chuí diào zhě, kōng yǒu xiàn yú qíng.
坐观垂钓者，空有羡鱼情。
Sitting and watching the anglers, I can only vainly envy their catch.