陋室铭A Shabby Study Room

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陋室銘

劉禹錫

(AD 772 ~ 842)
山不在高，有仙则名。水不在深，有龙则灵。
斯是陋室，惟物德馨。
苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。
可以调素琴，阅金经。无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形。
南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。
孔子云：“何陋之有？”

English Translation from an ancient Chinese poem <陋室銘>

written by Liu Yuxi (AD 772 ~ 842) in Tang Dynasty

A mountain does not necessarily have to be high.

As long as there lives a saint, it will win a good fame.

A water body does not necessarily have to be deep.

As long as there exists a dragon, it will demonstrate vital spirit.

That is my tiny room, although simple and shabby,

My noble morality will help it revealing aromatic.

The trace of moss is crawling upon the staircases,

Showing green.

The color of grass is penetrating through the curtain,

Presenting Prussian blue.

Chatting and laughing, among high rank scholars,

They came and back, carried with no servants,

Wrapped with white towel on head.

One can tune undecorated zither and read classic articles written with gold ink.

No noisy string instruments and flute disturbing ears, neither zigzag piled up documents.

To the Zhuge Kongming’s hut in Nanyang, and

The Yang Xiong’s pavilion in West Sichuan,

Even Confucius could make remarks:

"How could one say shabby with them?"