Between cliffs and streams, my dwelling lies,
In seclusion, ashamed of my idle pay.
Where I sleep, eat, walk, or sit, I find
The mountain's glow and water's sound suffice.
Alas, my heart remains unsatisfied,
I roam the outskirts, seeking beauty's trace.
I've heard of hermits' homes, yet none
Have been seen by human eyes.
When autumn arrives in its proper turn,
The sky hangs over aged woods and slopes.
I whip my horse over lofty ridges,
Fearing only that I might arrive too slow.
Clutching vines, I emerge from perilous paths,
And truly gain the vale of mist and glow.
How mystical, the work of gods,
Carving out the belly of the world.
Encompassing scenes of utter seclusion,
It stands alone beneath heaven's dome.
Before the gate, a stream of white stones,
Tinkling like cold jade being rinsed.
Mountain springs fall from the clouds' edge,
Slowly spreading lingering green.
In stillness, I hear night birds sing,
At leisure, watch floating gulls bathe.
Through ages, the cavern of Chou Pool—
When will it be carved and built here?
I wish to pluck the pearl from dragon's jaw,
But fear the pool's depth and its vicious poison.
The waterfall recalls Mount Lu's famed scene,
Like fragrant hills where thatched huts were mended.
Pine windows sway in wind and waves,
Stone paths are covered by moss and lichen.
The tower holds books yet unseen,
The garden grows trees that endure cold.
Who shares this clear breeze with me?
Only ten thousand bamboos o'er the wall.
Nature exhausts all feelings in its twists,
Drawing distant streams to bind the empty void.
In shadowy silence, dragons and serpents lurk,
Rain and hail arise from sunny warmth.
What era's worthy was this Master Sun,
Who held this place, scorning floating vulgarity?
The cliff preserves poems by five lords,
Buried in dust, now unreadable.
Diligently I mend errors and gaps,
Grinding my brush till it's worn and bald.
I open the pavilion, trace ancient tracks,
Once more, the immortal's journey is restored.
Ashamed to be bound by official hat,
My stay is brief, I cannot grow familiar.
When will I fulfill my pure heart's wish,
To return, free from glory and shame?