University of Virginia Library

樂府 李白 行路難之二

大道如青天, 我獨不得出。
羞逐長安社中兒, 赤雞白狗賭梨栗。
彈劍作歌奏苦聲, 曳裾王門不稱情。
淮陰市井笑韓信, 漢朝公卿忌賈生。
君不見, 昔時燕家重郭隗,
擁篲折節無嫌猜;
劇辛樂毅感恩分, 輸肝剖膽效英才。
昭王白骨縈蔓草, 誰人更掃黃金臺?
行路難, 歸去來?

Folk-song-styled-verse
Li Bai HARD IS THE WAY OF THE WORLD II

The way is broad like the blue sky,
But no way out before my eye.
I am ashamed to follow those who have no guts,
Gambling on fighting cocks and dogs for pears and nuts.
Feng would go homeward way, having no fish to eat;
Zhou did not think to bow to noblemen was meet.
General Han was mocked in the market-place;
The brilliant scholar Jia was banished in disgrace.
Have you not heard of King of Yan in days gone by,
Who venerated talents and built Terrace high
On which he offered gold to gifted men
And stooped low and swept the floor to welcome them?
Grateful, Ju Xin and Yue Yi came then
And served him heart and soul, both full of stratagem.
The King's bones were now buried,
who would sweep the floor of the Gold Terrace any more?
Hard is the way.
Go back without delay!