Here I have tried my shaking hands at a translation, my first that I trust so far. I translated the poem, not the individual words or the Daoist, Buddhist, Confucianist allusions, which do not fit into English poetry. I kept a little rhythm, and the rhymes because the original does, and left the speaking voices ambiguous. Please let me know what you think.

王维. – 杂诗三首 – 赏析

Wang Wei: Three poems together; an appreciation.

一

家住孟津河，门对孟津口。
常有江南船，寄书家中否?

One:

On the side of the wide river along a road
Up from the nearby wharf our home awaits.
On water from southern cities many boats
ply the daily mail: to all but our own gates?

二

君自故乡来，应知故乡事。
来日绮窗前[2]，寒梅著花未?

Two:

Kind Sir, from my home town you’ve come
Our news, you ought to know, please tell
Of the winter plums planted by the window
When leaving, did you see them budding well?

三

已见寒梅发，复闻啼鸟声。
愁心视春草，畏向玉阶生。

Three:

In cool air the plums have blossomed once again
In songs of spring the young birds start to coo
Our grass grows deep and greener, my heart fears
These plants may cross our threshold before you.