首路局险艰。
振楫发吴洲，
The treacherous journey filled me with dismay. I take the boat and the journey starts from Wu;
秣马陵楚山。
途出梁宋郊，
Then I ride a horse and climb the mount in Chu. And when I leave the regions Song and Liang,
道由周郑间。
前登阳城路，
I travel northwest by way of Zhou and Zheng. When I go on with my journey to Yangcheng,
日夕望三川。
在昔辍期运，
At dusk I stop and gaze afar at Sanchuan. The kingdom has been on the fast decline;
经始阔圣贤。
伊澂绝津济。
For years and years there are no saints benign. The rivers Yi and Gu have no ferry-way
台馆无尺椽。
While palaces have fallen to decay.