「纳粟」白居易

有吏夜叩门，高声催纳粟。家人不待晓，场上张灯烛。

扬簸净如珠，一车三十斛。犹忧纳不中，鞭责及僮仆。

昔余谬从事，内愧才不足。连授四命官，坐尸十年禄。

常闻古人语，损益周必复。今日谅甘心，还他太仓谷。

THE GRAIN-TRIBUTE 

Written circa 812, showing one of the poet's periods of retirement. 

When the officials come to receive his grain-tribute, he remembers 

that he is only giving back what he had taken during his years of 

office. Salaries were paid partly in kind.

There came an officer knocking by night at my door —

In a loud voice demanding- grain-tribute.

My house-servants dared not wait till the morning,

But brought candles and set them on the barn-floor.

Passed through the sieve, clean-washed as pearls,

A whole cart-load, thirty bushels of grain.

But still they cry that it is not paid in full :

With whips and curses they goad my servants and boys.

Once, in error, I entered public life ;

I am inwardly ashamed that my talents were not sufficient.

In succession I occupied four official posts;

For doing nothing, — ten years' salary!

Often have I heard that saying of ancient men

That “ good and ill follow in an endless chain."

And to-day it ought to set my heart at rest

To return to others the corn in my great barn.