Early Departure from Bai Di City – Li Bai

Early morn I  leave  Bai Di ,  amidst the colored clouds of dawn
A thousand li of hills and rivers in one day – still moving on.
As I passed by the river’s banks the monkeys’ calls rang far and wide.
My skiff sailed past  ten thousand mountains  more before their echoes died.

早發白帝城
Setting out early from Bai Di City
zao fa bai di cheng

朝辭白帝彩雲間，
Early morning take leave of Bai Di amidst the splendors of Yunnan
zhao1 ci bai di cai3 yun jian

千里江陵一日還。
A thousand li of rivers and mountains passed in one day
qian li xiang ling yi re huan.

兩岸猿聲啼不住，
Monkeys on both sides of the river call out constantly
liang and yuan2 sheng ti2 bu zhu4

輕舟已過萬重山。
My little boat already passed through ten thousand massive mountains.
qing zhou1 yi guo wan zhong shan.

Overlooking LuShan Falls – Li Bai

Overlooking LuShan Falls

On Incense Peak there shines a purple mist –
Afar the waterfall by sunlight kissed
Flies down 3000 feet, its line unbroken
as if the Milky Way fell straight from heaven

望廬山瀑布
Wang lu shan pu bu
Overlooking Lu Shan Falls

日照香爐生紫煙，
re zhao xiang1 lu2 sheng zu3 yan1
Sunshine on Incense Peak brings forth a violet mist

遙看瀑布掛前川。

yao kan pu bu gua qian2 chuan1
the distant waterfall hangs above the river

飛流直下三千尺，

Fei liu zhen xia san qian chi3
The water falls straight down for 3000 feet

疑是銀河落九天。
yi2 shi yin he luo jiu tian.
like the Milky Way falling from the Ninth Heaven.

The pictures are actually from Yosemite, not Lu Shan, but the visuals work for me.

Vikram Seth has done a similar translation:

The Waterfall at Lu Shan

In sunshine, Censer Peak breathes purple mist.

A jutting stream, the cataract hangs in spray

Far off, then plunges down three thousand feet –

As if the sky had dropped the Milky Way.

Subtle differences – which do you prefer?

Translation: A Study – Wang Wei

A Study (Laundry Day)

From the porch, light rain is falling from a sky of gray.
Slowly in the dark courtyard begins the weary day.
I sit, considering the moss, its color darkest green,
Just on the point of sorting clothes, to start the dull routine.

书事
shu1shi4
Literary Matter (Study)

轻阴阁小雨
Qing1yin1 ge2 xiao1 yu1
New moon/light overcast pavilion light rain

深院昼慵
shen1 yuan4 zhou4 yong 1 kai1
dark courtyard daytime languid open/begin

坐看苍苔色
zuo4 kan4 cang 1 tai2 se4
sit see dark green moss color

欲上人衣来
yu4 shang1 ren2 yi1 lai2
desire/on the point of  up/leave for person clothing come

Wang Wei

Light cloud pavilion light rain Dark yard day weary open Sit look green moss colour About to on person clothes come

There’s light cloud, and drizzle round the pavilion, In the dark yard, I wearily open a gate. I sit and look at the colour of green moss, Ready for people’s clothing to pick up.