Six songs on the kitchen garden at home家圃六詠
1Cucumber
園苽不灌亦繁生。黃淡花間葉間靑。最愛蔓莖無脛走。勿論高下掛瑤甁。
The cucumbers in the garden grow thick without being watered, and among the pale yellow flowers the leaves are green. Loveliest of all is how the vine stretches out with no legs at all, and, caring nothing for high or low, hangs up fruit like jade flasks.
Interlinear notes 1
The above is on the cucumber.
2Eggplant
浪紫浮紅奈老何。看花食實莫如茄。滿畦靑卵兼赬卵。生喫烹甞種種嘉。
What use is wearing purple and crimson, if one cannot help growing old? For seeing the flower and eating the fruit both, there is nothing like the eggplant. The ridges are full of green globes, and crimson ones besides; eaten raw or tasted boiled, every kind of it is good.
Interlinear notes 1
右苽
The above is on the eggplant.
3Turnip
得醬尤宜三夏食。漬塩堪備九冬支。根蟠地底差肥大。最好霜刀截似梨。
Dressed with soybean paste it is better still to eat in high summer, and salted down it is ample provision for the long winter. The root coils underground, stout and solid enough, and best of all is to slice it like a pear with a knife like a blade of frost.
Interlinear notes 1
右茄
The above is on the turnip.
4Scallion
纎手森攢戢戢多。兒童吹却當簫笳。不唯酒席堪爲佐。芼切腥羹味更嘉。
Like slender fingers they crowd together, bushy and many, and when the children blow on them they serve as flutes. Not only do they make a relish at the wine table — chopped into a fishy broth, the taste is better yet.
Interlinear notes 1
右菁
The above is on the scallion.
5Mallow
公儀拔去嫌爭利。董子休窺爲讀書。罷相閑居無事客。何妨養得葉舒舒。
Gongyihyu (公儀休), loath to seem to vie for profit, pulled up his mallows, and Dong Jungseo (董仲舒), busy with his reading, never peeped into his courtyard. For a wayfarer retired from the chief ministership, idle and with nothing to do, what harm is there in raising them till their leaves grow broad and waving?
Interlinear notes 1
右葱
The above is on the mallow.
6Gourd
剖成瓢汲氷漿冷。完作壺盛玉醑淸。不用蓬心憂瓠落。先於差大亦宜烹。
Split it to make a dipper, and it draws water cold as ice; leave it whole for a flask, and it holds clear fine wine. With a mind stopped up like mugwort stalks, there is no need to fret that the gourd is only large; when it has thickened a little, it is good to boil and eat it first.
Interlinear notes 1
右葵
The above is on the gourd.