Danmei Society for the Egregious Misuse of Chinese Poetry and Literature

驅車上東門
qū chē shàng dōng mén
[drive] [chariot] [upper] [east] [gate]
I drive my chariot to the upper east gate,

遙望郭北墓
yáo wàng guō běi mù
[distant] [gaze] [city wall] [north] [tombs]
and gaze at the tombs beyond the northern city wall.

白楊何蕭蕭
bái yáng hé xiāo xiāo
[white] [poplar] [how] [desolate] [desolate]
How desolate the white poplars are.

松柏夾廣路
sōng bǎi jiá guǎng lù
[pines] [cypress] [lined] [spread] [road]
The pines and cypress lined out down the road,

下有陳死人
xià yǒu chén sǐ rén
[below] [has] [old] [dead] [people]
and below are the ancient dead.

杳杳即長暮
yǎo yǎo jí zhǎng mù
[dark] [dark] [and] [long] [evening]
It’s deepest black in their endless night,

潛寐黃泉下
qián mèi huáng quán xià
[submerge] [sleep] [yellow] [spring] [below]
as they sleep submerged in the yellow fountains.

千載永不寤
qiān zǎi yǒng bù wù
[thousand] [year] [forever] [not] [awake]
They will never wake in a thousand years,

浩浩陰陽移
hào hào yīn yáng yí
[vast] [vast] [positive] [negative] [shift]
through vast changes in forces positive and negative forces.

年命如朝露
nián mìng rú zhāo lù
[year] [fate] [like] [morning] [dew]
The years fate grants us are but morning dew -

人生忽如寄
rén shēng hū rú jì
[man] [life] [suddenly] [like] [reside]
the life of men is but a brief residence.

壽無金石固
shòu wú jīn shí gù
[longevity] [not have] [metal] [stone] [certain]
Long life has not the certainty of metal and stone,

萬歲更相送
wàn suì gèng xiāng sòng
[ten thousand] [year] [more] [each other] [see off]
as another ten thousand years are sent on their way.

賢聖莫能度
xián shèng mò néng dù
[wise] [sage] [none who] [can] [limit]
Of the wise and the sage, there are none who can hold it back.

服食求神仙
fú shí qiú shénxiān
[take medicine] [food] [seek] [spirit] [immortal]
In medicine and food, some seek immortality,

多為要所誤
duō wèi yào suǒ wù
[many] [do] [will] [that which] [harm]
but in this way many end up poisoned.

不如飲美酒
bù rú yǐn měi jiǔ
[not] [as] [drink] [beautiful] [wine]
Far better to drink exquisite wines,

被服紈與素
bèi fú wán yǔ sù
[cover] [garment] [white silk] [and] [plain]
and be clothed in plain white silk.