Bai Juyi: Government Ox

Government Ox

官 牛

官 牛 官 牛 驾 官 车
浐 水 岸 边 船 载 沙。
一 石 沙，几 斤 重？
朝 载 暮 载 将 何 用？

载 向 五 门 官 道 西
绿 阴 下 铺 沙 堤。
昨 来 新 拜 右 丞 相
恐 怕 泥 涂 污 马 蹄。

右 丞 相
马 蹄 踏 沙 虽 净 洁
牛 领 牵 车 欲 流 血。
右 丞 相。

但 能 济 人 治 国
调 阴 阳
官 牛 领 穿 亦 无 妨。

Guan Niu

Guan niu guan niu jia guan che
Chan shui an bian chuan zai sha.
Yi shi sha, ji jin chong?
Zhao zai mu zai jiang he yong?

Zai xiang wu men guan dao xi
Lu hui yin xia pu sha di.
Zuo lai xin bai you cheng xiang
Kong pa ni tu wu ma ti.

You cheng xiang
Ma ti at sha sui jing jie
Niu ling qian che yu liu xie
You cheng xiang.                                                                                                                      Dan neng ji ren zhi guo tiao yin yang
Guan niu ling chuan yi wu fang.

Government Ox

Government ox, government ox hitched up to a government cart
Through the Chan Shui riverbank sand
They are driven hard to carry the cargo
How many pounds to one cubic yard of sand?

Carrying loads from dawn to dusk
What kind of project will they be used for?
Going toward east number five government gate
The shade below the green acacias spread across the sandy causeway.

Arriving yesterday was the newly promoted right-hand minister
His horse’s hooves carefully step through the pure and clean sand
Pulling the cart, the ox’s neck about to bleed
If only the right-hand minister can provide for the people.

And govern the country using the principles of yin and yang
Then the government ox’s neck being injured is not as much a problem.

Notes:

Chan Shui: also know as the Changjiang (Yangzi River)

East number five gate: Each of the many city gates were identified by number and cardinal direction.

Right-Hand Minister: One of the two Prime Ministers