Year
My Translation
Early Morning Travel
By Du Mu (803 – 852 AD)
I hang the horse’s whip and let him go along the way—
It’s been several miles yet and too soon for the rooster’s cry.
Underneath the woods, a falling leaf
Startles and breaks my lingering dream.
Morning frost covers around and the crane is lonely and far
As the dawn rises and the moon hangs above a mountain.
We continue through the rugged pass,
And time and road find peace again.
Original Chinese
早行
杜牧
垂鞭信马行，
数里未鸡鸣。
林下带残梦，
叶飞时忽惊。
霜凝孤鹤迥，
月晓远山横。
僮仆休辞险，
时平路复平。
Chinese Pronunciation
Zǎo xíng.
Dùmù
Chuí biān xìn mǎ xíng,
Shù lǐ wèi jī míng.
Lín xià dài cán mèng,
Yè fēi shí hū jīng.
Shuāng níng gū hè jiǒng,
Yuè xiǎo yuǎn shān héng.
Tóngpū xiū cí xiǎn,
Shí píng lù fù píng.
Literal & Notes
Early Travel
stop shepherd [= Du Mu (803-852 AD)]
Dangling whip at-will horse go,
Several miles not-yet rooster cries.
Woods underneath carry broken dream,
Leaf fly time suddenly frighten.
Frost congeals lonely crane far,
Moon dawn distant mountain across.
Servant prostrated(1) do-not resign narrow-mountain-pass(2),
Time peaceful road return peaceful.
(1) servant prostated = boy servant
(2) narrow-mountain-pass can also mean “dangerous” or “rugged”
This poem inspired Basho's haiku, "On a horse, sleeping."