陋室铭

Inscription¹ on a Humble² Home

山不在高，有仙则名。

Any mountain can be famous with the presence of an immortal³;

水不在深，有龙则灵。

Any river can be holy with the presence of a dragon.

斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。

Though this is a humble house, my virtues⁴ lend it fragrance⁵.

苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。

Green moss⁶ creeps up the steps; grass greens beyond the curtains.

谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。

Scholars come for lively talk; no vulgar guests intrude⁷.

可以调素琴，阅金经。

Here I can strum my plain lute⁸ or read the Buddhist⁹ sutras.

无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形。

No noisy music here to grate my ears, no documents to burden my body.

南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。

Like Zhuge’s thatch¹⁰ in Nanyang, or Ziyun’s hut in West Shu,

孔子云：何陋之有？

As Confucius said, “What’s humble about this?”