chūn fàn Ruòyē Xī春泛若耶溪A Spring Voyage on Ruoye Creek

by 綦毋潜 (Qíwú Qián)

yōu yì wú duàn jué, cǐ qù suí suǒ ǒu.
幽意无断绝，此去随所偶。
My longing for a secluded life never fades; from here, I shall follow wherever chance may lead.

wǎn fēng chuī xíng zhōu, huā lù rù xī kǒu.
晚风吹行舟，花路入溪口。
The evening breeze carries my boat along a flower-lined course and into the mouth of the creek.

jì yè zhuǎn xī hè, gé shān wàng Nán Dǒu.
际夜转西壑，隔山望南斗。
As night falls, the boat turns into the western ravine; beyond the mountains, I gaze toward the Southern Dipper.

tán yān fēi róng róng, lín yuè dī xiàng hòu.
潭烟飞溶溶，林月低向后。
Mist drifts softly over the deep pool, while the moon above the forest seems to sink behind me.

shēng shì qiě mí màn, yuàn wéi chí gān sǒu.
生事且弥漫，愿为持竿叟。
Let the affairs of this life remain boundless and uncertain; I wish only to become an old fisherman holding a rod.