Du Mu: Written Upon Mt. Shang City’s Si Hao Temple Walls

Written Upon Si Hao Temple Walls

题 商 山 四 皓 庙 一 绝

吕 氏 强 梁 嗣 子 柔
我 于 天 性 岂 恩 仇。                                                                                          南 军 不 袒 左 边 袖
四 老 安 刘 是 灭 刘。

Ti Shang Shan Si Hao Miao Yi Jue

Lu shi qiang liang si zi rou
Wo yu tian xing qi en chou.                                                                                                  Nan jun bu tan zuo bian xiu
Si lao an liu shi mie liu.

Written Upon Mt. Shang City’s Si Hao Temple Walls

Early Han empress used these strong roof beams to tutor her son
Today I see heaven’s nature can be once kind and also full of hate.               The capital’s southern army contrary to protecting the whole nation
These four hermits will teach him to create peace, or else we will
drown in despair.

Notes:

Mt. Shang city:  Located in Henan Province, it dates back 3,570 years ago to the Shang Dynasty (16th century BC- ca. 1046 BC).