孟郊诗

Poems of Meng Jiao


Index

衰松

Frail Pine


近世交道衰
青松落颜色
人心忌孤直
木性随改易

These days society has lost its strength.
The green pine has lost its color.
Common minds avoid the lonely and the straight.
Pine tree conforms to every change.

既摧栖日干
未展擎天力
终是君子材
还思君子识

We're broken, living in these hollow days,
Still unsupported by Heaven's power.
In the end, it's because the men in power
Still think they understand.

-- 孟郊


废话

The title, 衰松, can also be translated as "Weak and Slack." Pine trees are one symbol for gentlemen. I imagine Meng Jiao uses it here for the resonance of its ambiguity. The third line is even more ambiguous. Depending on how you take the bigram 人心 you can have "the people avoid the straight and narrow," "the people do not support the good but isolated leaders," or "the common-minded nobles avoid the lonely path of doing right." Obviously, all ambiguities fulfill the truth.


Index