賣炭翁，伐薪燒炭南山中。

The old man cut wood at Mt Zhongnan and made charcoal to sell. 

滿面塵灰煙火色，兩鬢蒼蒼十指黑。

Dust and ash smeared all over his charcoal grey face, grizzled hair crept on his temples, and soot blackened all of his fingers.

賣炭得錢何所營？身上衣裳口中食。

What was the pittance he earned for?  Just for the rag clothes on his back and the meager food in his mouth. 

可憐身上衣正單，心憂炭賤願天寒。

Though barely-clad, the pathetic old man still longed for chilly weather lest the price of his coal should fall down. 

夜來城外一尺雪，曉駕炭車輾冰轍。

During the night blizard had made snow piled up iches deep; in the morning he had to drive his cart and paved the iced way to the market.

牛困人饑日已高，市南門外泥中歇。

The bull exhausted, the old man starved, and the sun rose high; they all had to take a respite in the mud out of south gate of the market.

翩翩兩騎來是誰？黃衣使者白衫兒。

Who were the two horseback officiers coming with gloating looks?  The eunuchs served the royal house. 

手把文書口稱敕，回車叱牛牽向北。

Holding a piece of document on their hands, they said it was the order from Emperor, and commanded the cart be taken to the palace. 

一車炭，千餘斤，宮使驅將惜不得。

The cart of charcoal weighed at least a thousand catties; the reluctant old man could not do anything but let his cherished goods go.

半匹紅綃一丈綾，系向牛頭充炭直。

Hanging on the horns of the bull were several bolts of silk fabric as the only payment for the whole cart of charcoal.