文／晉．陶淵明（365～427）

種豆南山下，草盛豆苗稀。

晨興理荒穢，帶月荷鋤歸。

道狹草木長，夕露沾我衣。

衣沾不足惜，但使願無違。

──選自《陶淵明集》

Returning to the Fields (Excerpt)

Tao Yuanming (365 - 427, Jin Dynasty)

English translation: Venerable Zhi Yue

Planting beans at the foot of Mount Nan,

Weeds are many, but bean shoots are few.

I rise in the morning, to tend to the weeds,

The moon sees me home, shouldering a hoe.

The path is narrow, overgrown with grass,

The evening dew soaks my clothes.

Wet clothes, I am bothered not,

For as long as I have my will.

── from Tao Yuanming Ji

(Complete Works of Tao Yuanming)