「卖炭翁－苦官市也」白居易

卖炭翁，伐薪烧炭南山中。满面尘灰烟火色，

两鬓苍苍十指黑。卖炭得钱何所营，身上衣裳口中食。

可怜身上衣正单，心忧炭贱愿天寒。夜来城上一尺雪，

晓驾炭车辗冰辙。牛困人饥日已高，市南门外泥中歇。

翩翩两骑来是谁，黄衣使者白衫儿。手把文书口称敕，

回车叱牛牵向北。一车炭，千馀斤，官使驱将惜不得。

半匹红纱一丈绫，系向牛头充炭直。

THE CHARCOAL-SELLER 

(A Satire against " Kommandatur ") 

An old charcoal-seller, 

Cutting wood and burning charcoal in the forests of the Southern Mountain. 

His face, stained with dust and ashes, has turned to the colour of smoke. 

The hair on his temples is streaked with gray: his ten fingers are black. 

The money he gets by selling charcoal, how far does it go? 

It is just enough to clothe his limbs and put food in his mouth. 

Although, alas, the coat on his back is a coat without lining, 

He hopes for the coming of cold weather, to send up the price of coal! 

Last night, outside the city, — a whole foot of snow; 

At dawn he drives the charcoal wagon along the frozen ruts. 

Oxen, — weary; man, — hungry: the sun, already high; 

Outside the Gate, to the south of the Market, at last they stop in the mud. 

Suddenly, a pair of prancing horsemen. Who can it be coming? 

A public official in a yellow coat and a boy in a white shirt. 

In their hands they hold a written warrant: on their tongues — the words of an order ; 

They turn back the wagon and curse the oxen, leading them off to the north. 

A whole wagon of charcoal^ 

More than a thousand catties! 

If officials choose to take it away, the woodman may not complain. 

Half a piece of red silk and a single yard of damask, 

The Courtiers have tied to the oxen's collar, as the price of a wagon of coal !