Wei Ying-wu: At Cloud-Wisdom Monastery, in the Ch’an Master’s Courtyard ~韦应物《昙智禅师院》 with English Translations

《昙智禅师院》

韦应物

高年不复出，门径众草生。

时夏方新雨，果药发馀荣。

疏澹下林景，流暮幽禽情。

身名两俱遣，独此野寺行。

At Cloud-Wisdom Monastery, in the Ch’an Master’s Courtyard

Wei Ying-wu

Exalted with age, you never leave here:

the gate-path is overgrown with grass.

But summer rains have come, bringing

fruits and herbs into such bright beauty,

so we stroll down into forest of shadow,

sharing what recluse birds feel at dusk,

freed even of our names. And this much

alone, we wander the countryside back.

（David Hinton 译）