Words from household are worth their weight in gold. 白头搔更短，
I can not bear to scratch my grizzling hair; 浑欲不胜簪。
It grows too thin to hold a light hairpin.
赋得古原草送别
GRASS ON THE ANCIENT PLAIN –FAREWELL TO A FRIEND 白居易 Bai Juyi
离离原上草，
Wild grasses spread o’er ancient plain; 一岁一枯荣。
With spring and fall they come and go. 野火烧不尽，
Wild fire can’t burn them up again 春风吹又生。
They rise when vernal breezes blow. 远芳侵古道，
Their fragrance overruns the way; 晴翠接荒城。
Their green invades the ruined town. 又送王孙去，
To see my friend go far away, 萋萋满别情。
My sorrow grows like grass o’ ergrown. 绝句
A QUATRAIN 李清照
Li Qingzhao
生当作人杰，
Be man of men while you are alive; 死亦为鬼雄。
Be soul of souls e’en though you’re dead! 至今思项羽，
Think of Xiang Yu who’d not survive 不肯过江东。
His men, whose blood for him was shed.
观书有感 THE BOOK
朱熹 Zhu Xi
半亩方塘一鉴开，
There lies a glassy oblong pool, 天光云影共徘徊。
Where light and shade pursue their course. 问渠哪得清如许？
How can it be so clear and cool? 为有源头活水来。
For water fresh comes from its source. 秋思
AUTUMN THOUGHTS 马致远
Ma Zhiyuan
枯藤老树昏鸦，
Over old trees wreathed with rotten vines fly evening crows; 小桥流水人家。
Under a small bridge near a cottage a stream flows; 古道西风瘦马，
On ancient road in the west wind a lean horse goes. 夕阳西下，
Westward declines the sun; 断肠人在天涯。
Far, far from home is the heartbroken one.
石灰吟
SONG TO THE LIME 于谦 Yu Qian
千槌万凿出深山，
You come out of deep mountains after hammer blows; 烈火焚烧若等闲。
Under fire and water tortures you are not in woes. 粉身碎骨浑不怕，
Though broken into pieces, you will have no fright; 要留清白在人间。
You’ll purify the world by washing it e’er white.
泊船瓜洲
MOORED AT MELON ISLET 王安石
Wang Anshi
京口瓜洲一水间，
A river severs Northern shore and Southern land; 钟山只隔数重山。
Between my home and me but a few mountains stand. 春风又绿江南岸，
The vernal wind has greened the Southern shore again. 明月何时照我还。
When will the moon shine bright on my return? O when? 过零丁洋
SAILING ON LONELY OCEAN 文天祥
Wen Tianxiang 辛苦遭逢起一经，
Delving in the Book of Change,I rose through hardship great, 干戈寥落四周星。
And desperately fought the foe for four long years. 山河破碎风飘絮，
Like willow down the war-town land looks desolate; 身世浮沉雨打萍。
I sink or swim as duckweed in the rain appears. 惶恐滩头说惶恐，
For the perils on Perilous Beach I have sighs; 零丁洋里叹零丁。
On Lonely Ocean now I feel dreary and lonely. 人生自古谁无死，
Since olden days there’s never been a man but dies; 留取丹心照汗青。
I’d leave a loyalist’s name in history only. 竹石
BAMBOO IN THE ROCK 郑燮
Zheng Xie
咬定青山不放松，
Upright stands the bamboo amid green mountains steep; 立根原在破岩中。
Its toothlike root in broken rock is planted deep. 千磨万击还坚劲，
It’s strong and firm though struck and beaten without rest, 任尔东西南北风。
Careless of the wind from north or south, east or west. 金缕衣
THE GOLDEN DRESS 劝君莫惜金缕衣，
Love not your golden dress, I pray, 劝君惜取少年时。
More then your youthful golden hours. 有花堪折直须折，
Gather sweet blossoms while you may 莫待无花空折枝。
And not the twig devoid of flowers! 别董大
FAREWELL TO A LUTIST 高适 Gao Shi
千里黄云白日曛，
Yellow clouds spread for miles and miles have veiled the day, 北风吹雁雪纷纷。
The north wind blows down snow and wild geese fly away. 莫愁前路无知己，
Fear not you’ve no admirers as you go along! 天下谁人不识君。
There is no connoisseur on earth but loves your song. 绝句
A QUATRAIN 杜甫 Du Fu
两个黄鹂鸣翠柳，
Two golden orioles sing amid the willows green; 一行白鹭上青天。
A flock of white egrets flies into the blue sky. 窗含西岭千秋雪，
My window frames the snow-crowned western mountain scene; 门泊东吴万里船。
My door oft says to eastward-going ships “Goodbye!” 杳杳寒山道
LONG LONG THE PATHWAY TO DOLD HILL 杳杳寒山道，
Long long the pathway to Cold Hill; 落落冷涧滨。
Drear, drear the waterside so chill. 啾啾常有鸟，寂寂更无人。
Chirp, chirp, I often hear the bird; 淅淅风吹面，
Gust by gust winds caress my face;
纷纷雪积身。
Flake on flake snow covers all trace. 朝朝不见日，
From day to day the sun won’t swing; 岁岁不知春。
From year to year I know spring. 登乐游原
ON THE PLAIN OF TOMBS 李商隐
Li Shangyin 向晚意不适，
At dusk my heart is filled with glooms; 驱车登古原。
I drive my cab to ancient tomb. 夕阳无限好，
The setting sun seems so sublime. 只是近黄昏。
But it is near its dying time.