40 Tang Poems in Simple English and Simple Tagalog for Children

40 Tang Poems in Simple English and Simple Tagalog for Children

(Note: These poems were translated using AI using the original public domain Chinese texts....)

The Quiet Palace (Yuan Zhen)

The old palace is quiet and empty.

Red flowers bloom, but they look sad.

Old lady servants are still there.

They sit and tell stories about the old emperor.

Luma na ang palasyo. Tahimik na.

May pulang bulaklak pero malungkot.

Nariyan pa ang mga matandang babae.

Nakaupo sila, nagkukuwento tungkol sa hari noon.

Going Up High (Wang Zhihuan)

The bright sun sets behind the mountains.

The Yellow River flows toward the sea.

If you want to see farther,

Just climb one more floor!

Lumulubog ang araw sa likod ng bundok.

Umaagos ang Ilog Dilaw patungo sa dagat.

Kung gusto mong makakita ng mas malayo,

Umakyat ka pa ng isang palapag!

The New Wife (Wang Jian)

After three days, she goes to the kitchen,

Washes her hands and cooks some soup.

She doesn't know her mother-in-law's taste yet,

So she lets her younger sister-in-law taste it first.

Pagkatapos ng tatlong araw, pumasok siya sa kusina,

Naghugas ng kamay at nagluto ng sabaw.

Hindi pa niya alam ang lasa na gusto ng biyenan,

Kaya pinatikim muna niya sa hipag.

Thinking of You (Wang Wei)

Red beans grow in the southern land.

In spring, how many new branches sprout?

I hope you pick as many as you can —

Because these beans mean "I miss you the most.”

May pulang butil sa timog.

Pagdating ng tagsibol, lumalago sila.

Pumili ka ng marami,

Dahil ito ay simbolo ng pag-alala sa'yo.

Miscellaneous Poem (Wang Wei)

You came from my hometown,

So you must know what's happened there.

When you left, by the fancy window,

Did the winter plum trees bloom yet?

Taga-bayan ka namin,

Alam mo ang balita doon.

Noong umalis ka, sa may bintana,

Namulaklak na ba ang plum tree?

The Deer Park (Wang Wei)

In the empty mountains, no one is seen,

But you can hear people talking far away.

Sunlight goes deep into the forest,

And shines again on the green moss.

Walang tao sa bundok,

Pero may naririnig na boses.

Sumisikat ang araw sa kagubatan,

At kumikinang sa berdeng lumot.

The Bamboo Hut (Wang Wei)

I sit alone in a quiet bamboo grove,

Playing my zither and singing softly.

No one in the deep forest knows I'm here,

But the bright moon comes to keep me company.

Mag-isa ako sa kawayan,

Tumutugtog at kumakanta.

Walang nakakakita sa'kin,

Pero kasama ko ang buwan.

Saying Goodbye in the Mountains (Wang Wei)

After saying goodbye in the mountains,

As the sun sets, I close my wooden gate.

Next spring the grass will turn green again —

But my friend, will you come back or not?

Nagpaalam na kami sa bundok.

Sumapit ang gabi, sinara ko ang pinto.

Sa susunod na tagsibol, lalago ang damo.

Kaibigan, babalik ka pa ba?

To Liu Shijiu (Bai Juyi)

My new wine has green bubbles floating on top,

And my small stove is glowing red with fire.

Tonight it looks like snow will fall —

Won't you come and have one cup with me?

May bagong alak ako, may berdeng bula.

Mainit ang maliit kong kalan.

Mukhang uulan ng niyebe ngayong gabi.

Halika, inom tayo!

Song of Geshu (Xi Biren)

High above, the Big Dipper shines bright,

General Geshu walks at night with his sword.

Even now, the enemy horsemen look and fear —

They dare not cross the Lintao River.

Mataas ang mga bituin sa langit.

Si Heneral Geshu ay may dalang espada sa gabi.

Natatakot ang mga kalaban,

Hindi sila makatawid sa ilog.

Quiet Night Thoughts (Li Bai)

Moonlight shines bright beside my bed,

I almost think it's frost on the ground.

I lift my head and stare at the bright moon,

Then lower my head and think of home.

Maliwanag ang buwan sa tabi ng kama ko.

Parang yelo sa sahig ang liwanag.

Tumingala ako sa buwan,

Yumuko't naisip ko ang aking tahanan.

Sadness or A Lonely Lady (Li Bai)

A beautiful lady rolls up her pearl curtain,

Sits deep inside, her eyebrows frowned.

You can see her tears have wet her face —

But no one knows who she is angry at.

Magandang dalaga, nagbukas ng kurtina.

Nakaupo, nakasimangot.

May luha sa kanyang mukha,

Pero walang nakakaalam kung bakit siya malungkot.

Climbing the Pleasant Plateau (Li Shangyin)

As evening comes, I feel a little sad,

So I ride my carriage up the ancient plateau.

The sunset is endlessly beautiful —

But sadly, night is almost here.

Gabi na, malungkot ako.

Sumakay ako paakyat sa bundok.

Maganda ang paglubog ng araw,

Pero malapit na ang dilim.

Listening to the Zither (Li Duan)

The zither sings with golden strings,

Played by white hands in front of the jade room.

She wants a handsome man to notice her,

So she purposely plucks the wrong notes now and then.

May babaeng tumutugtog ng zither.

Gusto niyang mapansin ng lalaki,

Kaya nagkakamali siya sa tugtog —

Para lingunin siya nito!

Crossing the Han River (Song Zhiwen)

No letters came from home since I left the mountains,

Winter passed and spring came again.

Now I'm near home, but I feel more nervous —

I'm afraid to ask the people I meet.

Walang sulat mula sa bahay.

Lumipas ang taglamig, dumating ang tagsibol.

Malapit na ako sa bahay, pero kinakabahan ako.

Natatakot akong magtanong sa mga tao.

The Eight Battle Formations (Du Fu)

His skill made the three kingdoms divided,

His fame was built on the Eight Formations.

The river flows, but the stones still stand —

His regret: he failed to conquer Wu.

Magaling siya sa digmaan.

Sikat siya dahil sa kanyang mga pormasyon.

Umaagos ang ilog, pero nariyan pa ang mga bato.

Ang pinagsisisihan niya: hindi niya nakuha ang Wu.

Staying Overnight at Jiande River (Meng Haoran)

I move my boat and dock by the misty islet,

As the sun sets, new homesickness grows.

The fields are wide, the sky bends low to the trees,

The river is clear, and the moon comes close to me.

Dumikit ang bangka ko sa pulo.

Gabi na, mas nalulungkot ako sa bahay.

Malawak ang paligid, mababa ang langit.

Malinaw ang ilog, kasama ko ang buwan.

Spring Dawn (Meng Haoran)

Spring sleep is so cozy, I don't notice the dawn,

Everywhere I hear birds singing.

Last night I heard the wind and rain —

I wonder how many flowers fell?

Sarap ng tulog ko, 'di ko alam na umaga na.

Kahit saan, may mga ibong kumakanta.

Kagabi, umulan at umihip ang hangin.

Ilang bulaklak kaya ang nalaglag?

Spring Grief (Jin Changxu)

Shoo away the oriole birds,

Don't let them sing on the branches!

Their singing startles me from my dream —

I couldn't reach the western frontier in my sleep.

Taboyin ang mga ibon,

Huwag silang kumanta sa sanga!

Gumising ako sa panaginip ko —

Hindi ko naabot ang malayong lugar.

River Snow (Liu Zongyuan)

Across a thousand mountains, no birds fly,

On ten thousand paths, no footsteps are seen.

A lone boat, an old man in a straw cloak and hat —

Fishing alone in the cold river snow.

Walang ibon sa bundok,

Walang tao sa daan.

Isang bangka, isang matandang mangingisda —

Nangingisda sa malamig na ilog na may niyebe.

A Message on an Autumn Night (Wei Yingwu)

Thinking of you on this autumn night,

I walk and sing under the cool sky.

In the empty mountains, pine cones fall —

My hermit friend must still be awake.

Gabi ng taglagas, iniisip kita.

Naglalakad ako sa lamig.

Sa bundok, nalalaglag ang mga buto ng pino.

Gising pa kaya ang kaibigan ko?

Visiting a Hermit but Missing Him (Jia Dao)

Under the pine tree, I asked a young boy.

He said, "My master went to gather herbs."

"He's somewhere in this mountain —

But the clouds are so deep, I don't know where.”

Nagtanong ako sa bata sa ilalim ng pino.

Sabi niya, "Nasa bundok ang amo ko."

"Kumukuha ng halamang gamot."

"Pero makapal ang ulap, 'di ko alam kung saan siya.”

Farewell to Cui Jiu (Pei Di)

Go back to the mountains, deep or shallow,

Enjoy all the beauty of the hills and valleys.

Don't be like the man of Wuling —

Who only visited the Peach Blossom Land for a while.

Bumalik ka sa bundok.

Tingnan mo ang ganda ng mga burol.

Huwag kang parang tao sa Wuling —

Na saglit lang tumingin sa magandang lugar.

Farewell to Lingche (Liu Changqing)

The bamboo forest temple is green and vast,

Distant evening bells ring faintly.

Wearing a straw hat in the setting sun,

You walk alone back to the green mountains.

Luntian ang templo sa kawayan.

Tumutunog ang kampana ng gabi.

Nakasombrero ka, palubog ang araw.

Mag-isa kang umuuwi sa bundok.

Listening to the Zither (Liu Changqing)

The seven strings sound so clear and cool,

I quietly listen to the wind in the pines.

Though I love these ancient tunes —

Few people play them nowadays.

Malinaw ang tugtog ng zither.

Parang hangin sa pino ang tunog.

Mahal ko ang lumang musika —

Pero bihira na ang tumutugtog nito.

Farewell to the Monk (Liu Changqing)

A lonely cloud and a wild crane —

How could they live in the human world?

Don't buy Mount Wozhou —

Too many people already know about it.

Parang ulap at tagak ang monghe.

Hindi siya nababagay sa mundo ng tao.

Huwag kang pumunta sa sikat na bundok —

Maghanap ka ng tahimik na lugar.

Signs of a Husband's Return (Quan Deyu)

Last night my sash came undone,

This morning I saw small spiders flying.

I must not neglect my makeup —

Could my husband be coming home?

Natanggal ang sintas ko kagabi.

Kanina, may lumilipad na gagamba.

Kailangan kong mag-ayos —

Baka umuwi na ang asawa ko!

Farewell to Xin Jian at Furong Tower (Wang Changling)

Cold rain filled the river as night fell in Wu,

At dawn I saw you off, the Chu mountains stood alone.

If my friends in Luoyang ask about me —

Tell them my heart is like pure ice in a jade vase.

Umuulan nang magpaalam tayo.

Mag-isa ang bundok sa umaga.

Kung may magtanong tungkol sa akin —

Sabihin mo, malinis at tapat ang puso ko.

Looking at the Remaining Snow on Mount Zhongnan (Zu Yong)

The northern peak of Mount Zhongnan is beautiful,

Snow floats above the clouds.

The forest top shows clearing weather,

But the city below grows colder at dusk.

Maganda ang bundok na may niyebe.

Lumulutang ang niyebe sa ulap.

Maaliwalas ang kagubatan,

Pero malamig na sa lungsod.

Palace Poem (Zhang Hu)

Three thousand miles from my homeland,

Twenty years inside the deep palace.

When I sing the song "He Manzi" —

Tears fall in front of the emperor.

Malayo ako sa bahay ko.

Dalawampung taon na ako sa palasyo.

Kapag kumakanta ako ng malungkot na awit,

Tumutulo ang luha ko sa harap ng hari.

A Lady’s Grief (Wang Changling)

A young lady in her chamber knew no sorrow,

On spring days she dressed up and climbed the green tower.

But when she saw the willow trees by the road —

She regretted sending her husband off to seek fame and fortune.

Masaya ang dalagang may-asawa.

Umakyat siya sa tore nang maganda ang ayos.

Nakita niya ang mga puno sa daan —

Nagsisi siya na pinaalis ang asawa.

Spring in the Palace (Wang Changling)

Last night the wind blew open the peach blossoms by the well,

The moon shone high above Weiyang Palace.

A new dancer at Pingyang's house received the emperor's favor —

Outside the curtain, spring was cold, but she was given a brocade robe.

Umiihip ang hangin kagabi.

Mataas ang buwan sa palasyo.

May bagong mananayaw na gusto ng hari —

Binigyan siya ng mainit na damit.

Thinking of My Brothers on the Ninth Day of the Ninth Moon (Wang Wei)

Alone in a strange land, I'm a stranger here,

On every holiday, I miss my family even more.

From far away, I know my brothers are climbing the mountain —

They'll all wear dogwood, but one person will be missing: me.

Mag-isa ako sa malayong lugar.

Tuwing pista, naaalala ko ang pamilya ko.

Umakyat sila ng bundok ngayon —

Lahat sila nandoon, pero wala ako.

Song of Liangzhou (Wang Han)

Fine grape wine fills a glowing night cup,

Just as I want to drink, the pipa calls me to battle.

Don't laugh if I fall drunk on the battlefield —

How many soldiers ever come back from war?

May alak sa baso ko.

Gusto kong uminom, pero tawag na ng digmaan.

Huwag mong pagtawanan ako kung malasing ako —

Konti lang ang bumabalik mula sa digmaan.

A Palace Lady's Sorrow (Bai Juyi)

Tears wet her silk handkerchief, she can't even dream,

Deep in the night, she hears singing from the front hall.

Her beauty hasn't faded, but the emperor's love has already ended —

Leaning by the incense burner, she sits until dawn.

Umiiyak siya sa gabi.

Naririnig niya ang kanta mula sa malayo.

Maganda pa siya, pero 'di na siya mahal ng hari.

Nakaupo siya hanggang umaga.

Palace Words (Zhu Qingyu)

Quiet and still, the garden flowers bloom behind closed gates,

Beautiful ladies stand together by the jade window.

They want to share palace secrets —

But they dare not speak in front of the parrot!

Tahimik ang hardin.

Magkakatabi ang magagandang babae.

Gusto nilang magtsismisan —

Pero may loro na pwedeng magsumbong!

Before the Exam, to Minister Zhang (Zhu Qingyu)

Last night in the bridal chamber, red candles burned all night,

Waiting for dawn to greet the in-laws in the hall.

After fixing her makeup, she softly asks her husband —

"Are my eyebrows painted in the latest fashion?”

Nagpakasal siya kagabi.

Maghihintay siya sa umaga para sa biyenan.

Tinapos na niya ang ayos —

Tanong niya, "Bagay ba ang kilay ko?”

Meeting a Messenger Going to the Capital (Cen Shen)

Looking east toward home, the road stretches endlessly,

My sleeves are wet with tears that won't dry.

Meeting you on horseback, I have no paper or brush —

Please just take a message: tell them I'm safe.

Malayo ang bahay ko.

Umiiyak ako dahil namimiss ko sila.

Wala akong papel at panulat —

Sabihin mo na lang sa pamilya ko: ligtas ako.

Seeing Meng Haoran Off to Guangling at Yellow Crane Tower (Li Bai)

My old friend says goodbye from Yellow Crane Tower,

In the misty spring of March, he sails down to Yangzhou.

His lone sail fades into the blue sky —

All I see is the Yangtze River flowing to the horizon.

Nagpaalam ang kaibigan ko.

Lumayag siya patungong Yangzhou.

Nawala na ang kanyang bangka sa langit —

Ang nakikita ko na lang ay ang ilog.

Leaving White Emperor City at Dawn (Li Bai)

At dawn I left White Emperor City, surrounded by colorful clouds,

A thousand miles to Jiangling — I returned in just one day!

The monkeys on both banks kept chattering without stopping,

My light boat had already passed ten thousand mountains.

Umalis ako sa madaling-araw.

Mabilis akong nakarating sa malayo!

Maingay ang mga unggoy sa gilid ng ilog,

Ang bilis ng bangka ko — lampas na sa maraming bundok!