「截树」白居易

种树当前轩，树高柯叶繁。惜哉远山色，隐此蒙笼间。

一朝持斧斤，手自截其端。万叶落头上，千峰来面前。

忽似决云雾，豁达睹青天。又如所念人，久别一款颜。

始有清风至，稍见飞鸟还。开怀东南望，目远心辽然。

人各有偏好，物莫能两全。岂不爱柔条，不如见青山。

PRUNING TREES 

Trees growing — right in front of my window ; 

The trees are high and the leaves grow thick. 

Sad alas! the distant mountain view 

Obscured by this, dimly shows between. 

One morning I took knife and axe ; 

With my own hand I lopped the branches off. 

Ten thousand leaves fall about my head ; 

A thousand hills came before my eyes. 

Suddenly, as when clouds or mists break 

And straight through, the blue sky appears. 

Again, like the face of a friend one has loved 

Seen at last after an age of parting. 

First there came a gentle wind blowing ; 

One by one the birds flew back to the tree. 

To ease my mind I gazed to the South East; 

As my eyes wandered, my thoughts went far away. 

Of men there is none that has not some preference : 

Of things there is none but mixes good with ill. 

It was not that I did not love the tender branches; 

But better still, — to see the green hills!