五言古詩
張九齡
感遇其四
江南有丹橘， 經冬猶綠林；
豈伊地氣暖？ 自有歲寒心。
可以薦嘉客， 奈何阻重深？
運命惟所遇， 循環不可尋。
徒言樹桃李， 此木豈無陰？
Five-character-ancient-verse
Zhang Jiuling
ORCHID AND ORANGE II
Here, south of the Yangzi, grows a red orangetree.
All winter long its leaves are green,
Not because of a warmer soil,
But because its' nature is used to the cold.
Though it might serve your honourable guests,
You leave it here, far below mountain and river.
Circumstance governs destiny.
Cause and effect are an infinite cycle.
You plant your peach-trees and your plums,
You forget the shade from this other tree.
