孟郊诗
Poems of Meng Jiao
Index
济源春
Spring in Jiyuan
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太行横偃脊 百里芳崔巍 济滨花异颜 枋口云如裁 |
Taihang range lays across the horizon, A hundred miles of fragrant loftiness. Across the river, the flowers change and Here at Fangkou the clouds diminish. |
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新画彩色湿 上界光影来 深红缕草木 浅碧珩溯洄 |
Like a fresh painting, colors still wet. Heavens, a play of light and shadow. Deep reds, threads living of green, Shallow blues the jewel of river's source. |
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千家门前饮 一道传禊杯 玉鳞吞金钩 仙璇琉璃开 |
Outside a thousand gates, men offer Up together a cup of purity. Green beauty overwhelms mere gold. Immortal stars shine like colored glass. |
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朴童茂言语 善俗无惊猜 狂吹寝恒宴 晓清梦先回 |
Ordinary children all are speaking Of a common good without a fear. Mad winds blow the somnambulent feasters, who In the peaceful dawn, return to their dreams. |
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治生鲜惰夫 积学多深材 再游讵癫戆 一洗惊尘埃 |
Lazy, boring men will make their living Amassing knowledge and expertise. Then wandering, how could they be so crazy-stupid As to wash away the startling real world? |
-- 孟郊
废话
I think that in this poem, Meng Jiao is pushing forward with his Five Gurgling agenda. We have the beauty of the old south in the first three verses and then a critical observation of the present day in the final two verses. The strong words in the final two verses are all literal translations. I could only make sense of the final line with its "dust" (尘埃) by using dust for "world" as the Tang poets often used it metaphorically.