纷纷五代乱离间，一旦云开复见天！
After Five Dynasties' turmoil and strife, The clouds dispersed and revealed the sky,
寻常巷陌陈罗绮，几处楼台奏管弦。
Ordinary folk in the lanes wore silk, Music drifted from mansions and towers,
天下太平无事日，莺花无限日高眠。
Under the heavens all was serene, Men dozed off at noon midst gay birds and flowers.
话说这八句诗乃是故宋神宗天子朝中一个名儒，姓邵，讳尧夫，道号康节先生所作；为叹五代残唐，天下干戈不息。
This eight?lined poem was written during the reign of Emperor Shen Zong of the Song Dynasty by a scholar named Shao Yaofu, also known as Master Kang Jie.
From the end of the Tang and all through the Five Dynasties, times had been troubled.
那时朝属梁，暮属晋，正谓是：§朱李石刘郭，梁唐晋汉周：都来十五帝，播乱五十秋。
One short?lived dynasty had ruled after another.
How true was the verse: Zhu, Li, Shi, Liu, Guo founded Liang, Tang, Jin, Han and Zhou.
Fifteen emperors fifty years in a row, Bringing hardship, tumult and woe.
后来感得天道循环，向甲马营中生下太祖武德皇帝来。
In time, the way of Heaven took a new turn.
At Jiamaying, Tai Zu, the Emperor of Military Virtue, was born.
这朝圣人出世，红光满天，异香经宿不散，乃是上界霹雳大仙下降。
A red glow suffused the sky when this sage came into the world, and fragrance still filled the air the following morning.
He was in fact the God of Thunder descended to earth.
那天子扫清寰宇，荡静中原，国号大宋，建都汴梁。
He swept the land clean and pacified the Central Plains.
Naming his empire the Great Song, he established his court at Bianliang.
九朝八帝班头，四百年开基帝主。
Tai Zu was the first of eighteen Song emperors and founder of a dynasty lasting four hundred years.
因此上，邵尧夫先生赞道：“一旦云开复见天！”
That is why Master Shao Yaofu said in his praise: The clouds dispersed and revealed the sky.
正如教百姓再见天日之面一般。
For the people it was indeed like seeing the sun again.
那时西岳华山有个陈抟处士，是个道高有德之人，能辨风云气色。
At that time on Huashan, the West Sacred Mountain, lived a Taoist hermit named Chen Tuan.
A virtuous man, he could foretell the future by the weather.
一日，骑驴下山，向那华阴道中正行之间，听得路上客人传说：“如今东京柴世宗让位与赵检点登基。”
One day as he was riding his donkey down the mountain towards the county town of Huayin he heard a traveler on the path say: “Emperor Chai Shi Zong has surrendered his throne to Marshal Zhao in the Eastern Capital.”
人问其故。
Asked the reason for his joy,
那先生道：“天下从此定矣！
he said: “The empire will be firmly settled from now on.
正乃上合天心，下合地理，中合人和。”
For this is in accord with the will of Heaven above, the laws of Earth below, and the hearts of men between.”
自庚申年间受禅，开基即位，在位一十七年，天下太平，传位与御弟太宗。
Marshal Zhao accepted the abdication in 960 and established his regime.
He ruled for seventeen years, and there was peace throughout the land.
He was succeeded by his younger brother, Tai Zong,
这仁宗皇帝乃是上界赤脚大仙；降生之时，昼夜啼哭不止。
Emperor Ren Zong was actually a re?incarnation of the Barefoot Immortal.
When he came down and was born on earth he cried day and night without cease.
朝廷出给黄榜，召人医治，感动天庭，差遣太白金星下界，化作一老叟前来揭了黄榜，自言能止太子啼哭。
The imperial court posted a proclamation, inviting any man who could cure him to come forward.
Heaven was touched and sent the Great Star of White Gold in the guise of an old man.
Announcing he could cure the prince's weeping, the old man took down the proclamation.
看榜官员引至殿下朝见真宗。
The officer in charge conducted him to the palace,
天子圣旨，教进内苑看视太子。
where the emperor directed that he be allowed to see Ren Zong in the inner apartments.
那老叟直至宫中，抱着太子耳边低低说了八个字，太字便不啼哭。
The old man went in, picked up the baby, and whispered eight words into his ear.
At once the prince stopped crying.
那老叟不言姓名，只见化阵清风而去。
The old man disappeared in a puff of air without even revealing his name.
耳边道八个甚字？
What were the eight words?