IN MEMORY OF THE ANCIENT CAPITAL
I climb the height
And stretch my sight:
Late autumn just begins its gloomy time.
The ancient capital looks sublime.
The limpid river, beltlike, flows a thousand miles;
Emerald peaks on peaks tower in piles.
In the declining sun sails come and go;
Against west wind wineshop streamers flutter high and low.
The painted boat
In cloud afloat,
Like stars in Silver River egrets fly.
What a picture before the eye!
The days gone by
Saw people in opulence vie.
Alas! Shame on shame came under the walls,
In palace halls.
Leaning on rails, in vain I utter sighs
Over ancient kingdoms’ fall and rise.
The running water saw the Six Dynasties pass,
But I see only chilly mist and withered grass.
Even now and again
The songstresses still sing
The song composed in vain
By a captive king.
金陵怀古
登临送目，
正故国晚秋，
天气初肃。
千里澄江似练，
翠峰如簇。
征帆去棹残阳里，
背西风，
酒旗斜矗。
彩舟云淡，
星河鹭起，
图画难足。
念往昔，
繁华竞逐。
叹门外楼头，
悲恨相续。
千古凭高对此，
谩嗟荣辱。
六朝旧事随流水，
但寒烟，
衰草凝绿。
至今商女，
时时犹唱，
后庭遗曲。