Written When Governor of Soochow

[47] WRITTEN WHEN GOVERNOR OF SOOCHOW

(A.D. 825)

A government building, not my own home.
A Government garden, not my own trees.
But at Lo-yang I have a small house
And on Wei River I have built a thatched hut.
I am free from the ties of marrying and giving in marriage;
If I choose to retire, I have somewhere to end my days.
And though I have lingered long beyond my time,
To retire now would be better than not at all!