mài tàn wēng
卖 炭 翁
The charcoal seller

táng bái jū yì
(唐) 白 居 易
(Tang) Bai Juyi

mài tàn wēng
卖 炭 翁 ，
The Charcoal Seller,

fá xīn shāo tàn nán shān zhōng
伐 薪 烧 炭 南 山 中 。
Chopping wood and burning charcoal in the southern mountain.

mǎn miàn chén huī yān huǒ sè
满 面 尘 灰 烟 火 色 ，
His face covered in dust and the color of smoke and fire,

liǎng bìn cāng cāng shí zhǐ hēi
两 鬓 苍 苍 十 指 黑 。
With grey temples and black fingers on his ten hands.

mài tàn dé qián hé suǒ yíng
卖 炭 得 钱 何 所 营 ？
What does the charcoal seller do with the money he earns?

shēn shàng yī cháng kǒu zhōng shí
身 上 衣 裳 口 中 食 。
Clothing on his body and food in his mouth.

kě lián shēn shàng yī zhèng dān
可 怜 身 上 衣 正 单 ，
Pitiful, his clothing is just a single layer,

xīn yōu tàn jiàn yuàn tiān hán
心 忧 炭 贱 愿 天 寒 。
Worrying about the low price of charcoal, he wishes for colder weather.

yè lái chéng wài yī chǐ xuě
夜 来 城 外 一 尺 雪 ，
Last night, a foot of snow fell outside the city.

xiǎo jià tàn chē niǎn bīng zhé
晓 驾 炭 车 辗 冰 辙 。
At dawn, driving a charcoal cart over the frozen ruts

niú kùn rén jī rì yǐ gāo
牛 困 人 饥 日 已 高 ，
Cow, trapped, person, hunger, sun, already high,

shì nán mén wài ní zhōng xiē
市 南 门 外 泥 中 歇 。
Market, south gate, outside, mud, resting.

piān piān liǎng jì lái shì shuí
翩 翩 两 骑 来 是 谁 ？
Gracefully, two riders, coming, who are they?

huáng yī shǐ zhě bái shān ér
黄 衣 使 者 白 衫 儿 。
Yellow-clothed messenger, white-shirted child.

shǒu bǎ wén shū kǒu chēng chì
手 把 文 书 口 称 敕 ，
Holding documents, mouth claiming decree,

huí chē chì niú qiān xiàng běi
回 车 叱 牛 牵 向 北 。
Turning the cart, shouting at the cow, leading to the north.

yī chē tàn qiān yú jīn
一 车 炭 ， 千 余 斤 ，
One cart of charcoal, over a thousand pounds,

gōng shǐ qū jiāng xī bù dé
宫 使 驱 将 惜 不 得 。
Palace envoy driving, reluctantly, unable to cherish.

bàn pǐ hóng xiāo yī zhàng líng
半 匹 红 绡 一 丈 绫 ，
Half a bolt of red silk, one bolt of silk,

xì xiàng niú tóu chōng tàn zhí
系 向 牛 头 充 炭 直 。
Tied to the cow’s head, as compensation for the charcoal value.