Wèn Liú Shíjiǔ
问刘十九
Bái Jūyì (Táng )
白居易(唐)

Lǜyǐ xīn pēi jiǔ,
绿蚁新醅酒,
hóngní xiǎo huǒlú.
红泥小火炉。
Wǎnlái tiān yù xuě,
晚来天欲雪,
néng yǐn yì bēi wú?
能饮一杯无?

Evaluation

新酿的酒没有过滤时,上面浮起的酒渣像淡绿色的蚂蚁,所以叫“绿蚁”
Before filtered, the light green froth is floating on the newly brewed wine, looking like a cluster of green ants. So newly brewed wine is here referred as "绿蚁(lǜyǐ)" (green ants).

新酿米酒,醇厚,香浓;小小红泥炉,烧得殷红。天色将黑,大雪欲来;我的朋友,能不能过来一起喝杯酒呢?
The newly brewed rice wine is mellow and fragrant. There's a good fire burned in the red stove. Snow is coming and it's going to be dark soon. My friend, how about coming to my place and enjoy some wine with me?

一坛新酒,一只红色的小炉,短短十个字就描绘出诗人身旁的景致。作者在天色阴沉,大雪即将降下的冬日傍晚,看似不经意地准备了平平常常的绿酒红炉,貌似闲散的生活略显无聊,邀请朋友来对饮。简单直白的语言流露出温馨闲适的生活情调。
A jar of newly brewed wine, a red stove—these things help to picture a scene where the poet was writing the poem. In a winter evening, the snow was about to come. The poet took out a simple red stove and a jar of new wine, which seemed ordinary and even a little boring. He wanted to invite a friend to join him. The simple and candid language of the poem revealed the poet's carefree and comfortable life.

Explanation

过滤:(guòlǜ) v. filter
蚂蚁:(máyǐ) n. ant
景致:(jǐngzhì) n. scene
阴沉:(yīnchén) adj. dark sky (indicates impending snow)
温馨:(wēnxīn) adj. warm and comfortable
醇厚:(chúnhòu) adj. (of wine) mellow and strong
殷红:(yānhóng) adj. darkish red