Bai Juyi: Among the Mountains: Fish in Ravine-Fed Water: Five Four-Line Poems: No. 2

Among the Mountains: Fish in Ravine-Fed Water:
Five Four-Line Poems: No. 2

山 中： 五 绝 句
涧 中 鱼

(2)

海 水 桑 田 欲 变 时
风 涛 翻 覆 沸 天 池。
鲸 吞 蛟 斗 波 成 血
深 涧 游 鱼 乐 不 知。

Shan Zhong Wu: Jian Zhong Fu: Jue Ju

(2)

Hai shui sang tian yu bian shi
Feng tao fan fu fei tian shi.
Jing tun jiao dou bo cheng xie
Shen jian you yu yue bu zhi.

Among the Mountains: Fish in Ravine-Fed Water:
Five Four-Line Poems: No. 2

(2)

Ocean water, mulberry orchards expect a change of seasons
Typhoon waves multiply to overturn and bubble away many people.
Whales swallow flood dragons, produces waves of blood
This little fish unaware of all of this inside a deep ravine.

Notes:

Whales: The high-level ministers inside the palace

This little fish: Bai Juyi

Commentary:

Like many ancient Chinese poems, this one alludes to the current palace politics and stress that the nation is enduring.