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。

夜来城外一尺雪，晓驾炭车碾冰辙。

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。

手把文书口称赦，回车叱牛牵向北。

一车炭，千余斤，宫使驱将惜不得。

半匹红纱一丈绫，系向牛头充炭直。

The Old Charcoal Seller

Bai Juyi   translated by Xu Yuanchong

What does the old man fare?

He cuts the wood in southern hill and fires his ware.

His face is grimed with smoke and streaked with ash and dust,

His temples grizzled and his fingers all turned black.

The money earned by selling charcoal is not just enough for food for his mouth and clothing for his back.

Though his coat is thin, he hopes winter will set in,

For cold weather will keep up the charcoal’s good price.

At night a foot of snow falls outside city walls;

At dawn his charcoal cart crushes ruts in the ice.

The sun is high, the ox tired out and hungry he;

Outside the southern gate is snow and slush they rest.

Two riders canter up. Alas! Who can they be?

Two palace heralds in the yellow jackets dressed.

Decree in hand, which is imperial order, one says;

They turn the cart about and at the ox they shout.

A cartload of charcoal a thousand catties weighs;

They drive the cart away. What dare the old man say?

Ten feet of silk and twenty feet of gauze deep red,

That is the payment they fasten to the ox’s head.