環滁皆山也。其西南諸峰，林壑尤美，望之蔚然而深秀者，瑯琊也。山行六七里，漸聞水聲潺潺而瀉出于兩峰之間者，釀泉也。峰回路轉，有亭翼然臨于泉上者，醉翁亭也。作亭者誰？山之僧智仙也。名之者誰？太守自謂也。太守與客來飲于此，飲少輒醉，而年又最高，故自號曰醉翁也。醉翁之意不在酒，在乎山水之間也。山水之樂，得之心而寓之酒也。

Surrounding Chuzhou are all mountains; among them, hills, forests, and valleys in the southwest are particularly beautiful. Noticeably standing there is that deep, quiet, elegant, and luxuriant Mt. Langya. Walking along the hills, people can gradually hear the murmuring stream flow through the channel out of Spring Liang. At the end of sinuous hills and trails, standing on top of the spring, is a gazebo, shaped like a bird spreading its wings and getting ready for flight. It is the Old Drunkard Gazebo. Who built the gazebo? It was Zhixian, a monk on the mountain. Who named the gazebo? It was the magistrate who named the gazebo after his nickname. The magistrate repairs to the place with his friends and often intoxicates himself with a little drink; therefore, he, the eldest one among the drinkers, names the gazebo Old Drunkard. Well, drinkers hearts are not in the cup but in the scenery with hills and waters. So their joyful thoughts on the landscape are enbodied through the wine in their cups.

若夫日出而林霏開，云歸而巖穴暝，晦明變化者，山間之朝暮也。野芳發而幽香，佳木秀而繁陰，風霜高潔，水落而石出者，山間之四時也。朝而往，暮而歸，四時之景不同，而樂亦無窮也。

When the sun rises, the fog in the valley begins to disperse. When clouds gather and the valley becomes dusky, Likewise, the change from brightness to dimness in the valley represents the one from dawn to dusk. Wild flowers blossom, emitting a faint fragrance; solid trees grow, providing leafy shades; breeze blows and frost falls, bringing crisp air; the water subsides, emerging the rocks. These are the four seasons in the valley. Going to the valley in the morning and coming back in the evening, people can enjoy watching the different landscapes of the four seasons and find a lot of pleasure there.

至于負者歌于途，行者休于樹，前者呼，后者應，傴僂提攜，往來而不絕者，滁人游也。臨溪而漁，溪深而魚肥。釀泉為酒，泉香而酒洌；山肴野蔌，雜然而前陳者，太守宴也。宴酣之樂，非絲非竹，射者中，弈者勝，觥籌交錯，起坐而喧嘩者，眾賓歡也。蒼顏白發，頹然乎其間者，太守醉也。

As of those carrying things and chanting songs in the trails, passersby resting beneath trees, echoing to each other, strolling along the hunchbacked, the kids in the hands of their parents, and all others bustling on the road are all tourists from Chuzhou. Tender and tasty fish caught from a deep stream, wine with a bouquet brewed out of the clear water of the spring, and edible wild herbs make a spread of delicious food hosted by the magistrate. There is no music playing, but the clamor out of the winners from the games of archery and chessborad, the cups go gaily round at the party, and people stand and sit make the love feast a joyful gathering. The drink has made a pale-faced, gray-haired old man slightly tipsy and fatigued. It is the magistrate who has been drunk.

已而夕陽在山，人影散亂，太守歸而賓客從也。樹林陰翳，鳴聲上下，游人去而禽鳥樂也。然而禽鳥知山林之樂，而不知人之樂；人知從太守游而樂，而不知太守之樂其樂也。醉能同其樂，醒能述以文者，太守也。太守謂誰？廬陵歐陽修也。

As the sun sets, people are scattering, and the magistrate is returning home with his quests following suit. Chirpy birds are singing happily through shady forests covered by leafy trees as humans have gone away. Well, birds do know they are free and merry because they are the inhabitants of the mountains and forests, but they also do not know why people are so happy. People have fun touring with the magistrate; however, they do not understand that he is happy because of their contentment. Who is able to heartily share the joy with others when he is tipsy and is able to illustrate the story afterwards when he is sober? It is the magistrate. But who is the magistrate anyway? Ouyang Xiu of Luling, its me.