孟郊诗
Poems of Meng Jiao
Index
劝善吟
Encouraging Goodness
（醉会中赠郭行馀）
(Written for Guo Xingyu at a drunken banquet)
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瘦郭有志气 相哀老龙钟 劝我少吟诗 俗窄难尔容 |
This emaciated Guo had spirit Even though he was pitiful and old. I am driven to chant a few lines On the people's hard times you tolerate. |
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一口百味别 况在醉会中 四座正当喧 片言何由通 |
One mouth tastes one hundred flavors Even when its drunk here at a feast. Amidst the noise of all these people, How can my few words get through? |
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顾余昧时调 居止多疏慵 见书眼始开 闻乐耳不聪 |
Listening to the songs the people sing, I find them mostly lazy and stupid. Reading books opens one's eyes While pop music only deadens the mind. |
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视听互相隔 一身且莫同 天疾难自医 诗癖将何攻 |
Listening to their mutual separation, You see the people never will unite. Heaven's illness is hard for us to heal. How can love of poetry be studied? |
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见君如见书 语善千万重 自悲咄咄感 变作烦恼翁 |
Seeing you is like reading books; Words of virtue are most needed. I'm saddened by this angry feeling That you are becoming a bitter old man. |
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烦恼不可欺 古剑涩亦雄 知君方少年 少年怀古风 |
You must not be deceived by bitterness. Old swords are hard and strong. I know you are still young but Youth can sherish the old ways. |
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藏书拄屋脊 不惜与凡聋 我愿拜少年 师之学崇崇 |
Libraries must be our ridgepole. Neglect them and the people will be deaf. I hope to bow before a young Master of lofty studies. |
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从他笑为矫 矫善亦可宗 |
If others laugh at my pretensions, Pretensions of goodness can also instruct. |
-- 孟郊
废话
This was written in 835 or 836 following the Sweet Dews Incident where the 24 year-old Emperor Wenzong tried to kill off a faction of palace eunuchs. The plot failed and Guo Xingyu, who was one of the nobles who brought troops to kill eunuchs, was among the nobles executed. The eunuchs consolidated their power, keeping the young Wenzong as emperor.
Meng Jiao is writing this poem for (to?) the young Wenzong. The 赠 in the note is metaphorical. Meng Jiao is about 31; the emperor about 25. I would say, in terms of Realpolitik, the emperor is far older than a wandering poet who thinks that poetry will save the day. Clearly, things would be better if the world were more cultured. But the cultured are always an endangered minority. Those in power are the last to desire a more cultured, wiser world.