Yao Yuanming: Give As a Gift to Government Clerk Yang

Give As A Gift to Government Clerk Yang

赠 羊 长 吏
愚 生 三 季 后
慨 然 念 黄 虞
得 知 千 载 上
正 赖 古 人 书。
贤 圣 留 余 迹
事 事 在 中 都。
岂 忘 游 心 目?
关 河 不 可 逾。
九 域 甫 已 一
逝 将 理 舟 舆。
闻 君 当 先 迈
负 疴 不 获 俱。
多 若 经 商 山
为 我 少 踌 躇。
多 谢 绮 与 用
精 爽 今 何 如?
紫 芝 谁 复 采?
深 谷 久 应 芜。
驷 马 无 贳 患
贫 贱 有 交 娱。
清 谣 结 心 曲
人 乖 运 见 疏。
拥 怀 累 代 下
言 尽 意 不 舒。

 

Zeng Yang Chang Li

Yu sheng san ji hou
Kai ran nian huang yu.
De zhi qian zai shang
Zheng lai gu ren shu.

Xian sheng liu yu ji
Shi shi zai zhong dou.
Qi wang you xin mu ?
Guan he bu ke yu.

Jiu yu fu yi yi
Shi jiang li zhou yu.
Wen jun dang xian mai
Fu ke bu huo ju.

Lu ruo jing shang shan
Wei wo shao chou chu.
Duo xie qi yu yong
Jing shuang jin he ru ?

Zi zhi shei fu cai ?
Shen gu jiu ying wu.
Si ma wu shi huan
Pin jian you jiao yu.

Qing yao jie xin qu
Ren guai yun jian shu.
Yong huai lei dai xia
Yan jin yi bu shu.

 

Give As A Gift to Government Clerk Yang

My life after the three dynasties of Xia, Shang and Zhou
With deep feelings, long for Emperor Huang Yu.
To obtain knowledge about these thousand plus years
Have to depend on the old books and letters.

Able and virtuous sages have left behind their marks and footprints
Everything I want to study now in the capital Chang’an.
How could I forget this, in my mind’s eye?
Could not go beyond the wall between these two nations.

Now both nations are united
I want to get ready for travel by carriage and boat.
Heard that you will proceed before me
Because I am ill, not able to follow.

If your road passes through the Song mountains
Could you stop by for a little while.
Give my regards to the recluses Yu and Yong
Are your after-life essences still here?

Who can gather again the purple ganoderma?
For a long time the deep valleys hidden with overgrown plants.
Even those of rank with carriages of four horses have worries and troubles
The poor and low have joy and pleasure with each other’s company.

These mountain ballads sung deeply in my heart
If I was lucky, my health would be good enough to travel.
After so many generations I still long for the chance to travel there
Even though my words are done, did not express all that needed to be said.

 

Notes:

Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties: Xia 2070-1600 BC; Shang 1600-1046 BC; Zhou 1046-771 BC

Chang’an:  The capital city that was now under the control of the Eastern Jin forces.

These two nations: The Western (265-316 AD) and Eastern Jin (317-420).

Ganoderma: A mushroom that was believed to give immortality.

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