Ouyang Xiu: Picking Mulberries: No. 1

Picking Mulberries: No.1

采桑子

(1)

轻 舟 短 棹 西 湖 好
绿 水 逶 迤。
芳 草 长 堤。
隐 隐 笙 歌 处 处 随。

无 风 水 面 琉 璃 滑
不 觉 船 移。
微 动 涟 漪。
惊 起 沙 禽 掠 岸 飞。

Cai Sang Zi

Qing zhou duan zhao xi hu hao
Lu shui wei yi.
Fang cao chang di
Yin yin sheng ge chu chu sui.

Wu feng shui mian liu li hua
Bu jue chuan yi.
Wei dong lian yi
Jing qi sha qin lue an fei.

Picking Mulberries: No. 1

Small boat with short oars perfect for West Lake
Meandering green waters.
Long embankments with fragrant grasses
Everywhere very faint bamboo flute melodies.

Without wind, the water surface colored with a glossy glaze
Cannot feel the movement of my boat.
Ripples move in small, slow surges
Startled water birds suddenly lift off from the sand.

Notes:

West Lake:  This is not the most famous West Lake of Hangzhou.  There are many “West Lake” areas in China.