孟郊诗
Poems of Meng Jiao
Index
魏博田兴尚书听嫂命不立非夫人诗
A poem on reading of Wei's abundant fields in the Book of History after my sister-in-law tells me I'm not much of a husband
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君子耽古礼 如馋鱼吞钩 昨闻敬嫂言 掣心东北流 |
Gentlemen indulge in ancient forms Like greedy fish swallowing a hook. Yesterday, wife's sister chided me politely Pulling my heart back to the northeast. |
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魏博田尚书 与礼相绸缪 善词闻天下 一日一再周 |
Wei's abundant fields in the Book of History And old forms, well, I'm sentimental. Good poetry makes its way in the world And one day the Zhou will come again. |
-- 孟郊
废话
I'm just guessing. But if his sister-in-law is there, so is his wife and mother. And they are wondering why someone with his status has them living in Xiaoxiang's mountains and lakes instead of in the comfortable capital. Well, we know why, don't we? I can sympathize.
Let's keep in mind that these states Meng Jiao idealizes -- Wei, Zhou, Chu, Yue -- were up to eighteen hundred years before his time. In comparison, Western culture has no such ideals. And is unlikely to ever have them, it seems to me.