八月十五夜，
月色隨處好。
Over the thatched roof, over the city hall, Over my mansion which looks like a fairy-land,
不擇茅檐與市樓，
況我官居似蓬島。
O'er the Sword Pool where lotus blooms grow old in the fall, O'er the Phoenix Beak where wild oranges fragrant stand.
鳳咮堂前野橘香，
劍潭橋畔秋荷老。
On the eighteenth of the eighth moon, Incomparable high tide at noon:
八月十八潮，
壯觀天下無。
Like water spouted three thousand miles high by whales Or the march of ten myriads of armored men.
鯤鵬水擊三千里，
組練長驅十萬夫。
Red flags and blue canopies furl and unfurl like sails; Black sand and white waves swallow each other now and then.
紅旗青蓋互明滅，
黑沙白浪相吞屠。
'Tis hard for men to get together as of old, Candidates would regret not to see such a scene.
人生會合古難必，
此景此行那兩得！
I hope you will burn more candles as you are told, For outdoors candidates craning their necks can be seen.
願君聞此添蠟燭，
門外白袍如立鶴。
I wish you would hear this and add more candles bright, Outside the gate stand white-robed scholars like cranes in the night.