陋室铭 Inscription for a Humble Room

山不在高，有仙则名。 shān bù zài gāo, yǒu xiān zé míng.
A mountain need not be high; if an immortal lives there, it is famous.

水不在深，有龙则灵。 shuǐ bù zài shēn, yǒu lóng zé líng.
Water need not be deep; if a dragon lives in it, it has power.

斯是陋室，惟吾德馨。 sī shì lòu shì, wéi wú dé xīn.
This is a humble room, but my virtue fills it with fragrance.

苔痕上阶绿，草色入帘青。 tái hén shàng jiē lǜ, cǎo sè rù lián qīng.
Moss climbs the steps and turns them green; the colour of grass comes in through the blind.

谈笑有鸿儒，往来无白丁。 tán xiào yǒu hóng rú, wǎng lái wú bái dīng.
Great scholars talk and laugh here; no one without learning comes and goes.

可以调素琴，阅金经。 kě yǐ tiáo sù qín, yuè jīn jīng.
Here I can play the plain zither and read the golden scriptures.

无丝竹之乱耳，无案牍之劳形。 wú sī zhú zhī luàn ěr, wú àn dú zhī láo xíng.
No music of strings and pipes disturbs the ear; no official papers wear out the body.

南阳诸葛庐，西蜀子云亭。 nán yáng zhū gě lú, xī shǔ zǐ yún tíng.
Zhuge Liang’s thatched hut in Nanyang; Yang Xiong’s pavilion in western Shu.

孔子云：何陋之有？ kǒng zǐ yún: hé lòu zhī yǒu?
Confucius said, “What is humble about it?”