The Bamboo Pavilion – Wang Wei

I sit alone in the bamboo grove
Strumming the qin and whistling.
Deep in the grove no one sees,
Only the bright moon shining.

竹里馆
zhu li guan
bamboo in guest house

唐代：王维
tang dai – Wang Wei
Tang dynasty – Wang Wei

独坐幽篁里，
du zuo you huang li,
alone sit secluded bamboo grove in,

弹琴复长啸。
tan qin fu zhang xiao.
strum [zither]again long whistle

深林人不知，
shen lin ren bu zhi,
Deep forest men not know,

明月来相照。
ming yue lai xiang zhao.
bright moon come appear shine.

 

Yearning – Wang Wei

Yearning -Wang Wei (Tang dynasty poet)

In the south the love-peas grow.
Spring comes, with new green branches.
Gather them all, dear friend, please do
And through them know I yearn for you.

==========

相思 【xiāng sī】 yearning between lovers; lovesickness.

唐代：王维 Tang poet Wang Wei

红豆生南国，
hong dou sheng nan guo
red peas grow south country
红豆 【hóng dòu】 ormosia; love pea; red bean (Abrus precatorius, Indian licorice or paternoster pea, a shrub famous for its red seeds which were used as love tokens, hence the variant name ‘lovesickness seeds’).

春来发几枝。
chun lai fa ji zhi.
spring come send out several twigs

愿君多采撷，
yuan jun dou cai xie,
wish friend/colleague all gather,

此物最相思。
ci wu zui xiang si.
this outside world most yearning between lovers.

=====

The “Love peas” referred to are, ironically, deeply toxic.  The shrub itself is highly invasive in tropical climates, and has been seen in Hawaii and Florida where it may have originated from jewelry made from the berries and brought back by tourists.  Love is dangerous!