068 韓愈 – 謁衡嶽廟遂宿嶽寺題門樓

068 韓愈 – 謁衡嶽廟遂宿嶽寺題門樓
068 HAN Yu – An Inscription for the Gate Tower after Paying My Respect and Staying Overnight at a Temple in the Heng Mountains

中文原文﹕

五嶽祭秩皆三公，
四方環鎮嵩當中。
火維地荒足妖怪，
天假神柄專其雄。
噴雲泄霧藏半腹，
雖有絕頂誰能窮？

我來正逢秋雨節，
陰氣晦昧無清風。
潛心默禱若有應，
豈非正直能感通？
須臾靜掃眾峰出，
仰見突兀撐青空。
紫蓋連延接天柱，
石廩騰擲堆祝融。
森然魄動下馬拜，
松柏一逕趨靈宮。
粉牆丹柱動光彩，
鬼物圖畫填青紅。
升堦傴僂薦脯酒，
欲以菲薄明其衷。

廟內老人識神意，
睢盱偵伺能鞠躬。
手持盃珓導我擲，
云此最吉餘難同。
竄逐蠻荒幸不死，
衣食纔足甘長終。
侯王將相望久絕，
神縱欲福難為功。

夜投佛寺上高閣，
星月掩映雲曈曨。
猿鳴鐘動不知曙，
杲杲寒日生於東。

英文翻譯 / English Translation﹕

Customary services honouring the Five Great Mountains can be hosted by dignitaries only,
Situated amidst the four mountains in four corners is the fifth, Mount Song.
Denoting the element of fire, this land is barren and full of evil spirits,
Heaven thus bestowed upon the mountain's spirit mighty power to the territory oversee.
On the hillside, clouds and fog wreathe around,
There are peaks above, yet who can the summit surmount and stand on its top?

The timing of my visit coincides with the season of autumn rain,
There is not a breeze in this gloomy weather that is hazy and moist.
I pray quietly mustering great concentration, if I could spirits touch,
Wouldn't it be because probity can really heaven reach and nature call forth?
Shortly after, the weather clears up and many peaks appear,
I raise my head to admire the soaring mountain range holding up a blue dome.
The Peak of Violet Crown stretches over to join the Peak of Heavenly Monolith,
As the Peak of Piling Boulders seems to tower over the Peak of Fire God.
This awe-inspiring landscape moves me to dismount and pay my respect,
Along the trail, pines and cypresses lead me to the Mountain Temple of Song.
Whitewashed walls with crimson columns stand animated and glorious,
Paintings of the spiritual are full of colours that interlock.
I hunched my back with respect as I presented preserved meat and wine up the stairs,
They represent my sincerity and faith, though immaterial are my offerings.

The elder of the temple knows how to god's intent read,
His eyes are wide open, bright and piercing, and still capable of bowing is his body.
He holds divination wedges in his hands and teaches me how to give a proper toss,
He then says my toss returned a most auspicious forecast matched by no other.
I suppose being still alive after an exile to savage lands for so long,
I'd be satisfied if for the rest of my life I never had to worry about food and clothes.
Forever gone for me is the hope of becoming a general, a minister or a nobleman,
Not even the blessing of the mountain's spirit could make it come off.

In the tower of the temple I take up my lodging for the night,
The moon and stars are enshrouded by clouds, and their shine obscured.
Amid howling of gibbons and tolling of bells, there arrives dawn unnoticed,
I wake up and see the frosty sun gaining height in the east inspiring awe.

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