Meng Haoren: Rural Seclusion

Meng Haoren: Rural Seclusion

田 园 作

弊 庐 隔 尘 喧
唯 先 尚 恬 素。
卜 邻 近 三 径
植 果 盈 十 树。
粤 余 任 推 迁
三 十 犹 未 遇。

书 剑 时 将 晚
丘 园 日 已 暮。
晨 兴 自 多 怀
昼 坐 常 寡 悟。
冲 天 羡 鸿 鹄
争 食 嗟 鸡 鹜。

望 断 金 与 门
劳 歌 采 樵 路。
乡 曲 无 知 已
朝 端 乏 亲 故。
谁 能 为 扬 雄
一 荐 “甘 泉 赋”。

Tian Yuan Zuo

Bi lu ge chen xuan
Wei xian shang tian su
Bu lin jin san jing
Zhi guo ying shi shu
Yue yu ren tui qian
San shi you wei yu

Shu jian shi jiang wan
Qiu yuan ri yi mu
Chen xing zi duo huai
Zhou zuo chang gua wu
Chong tian xian hong hu
Zheng shi jie ji wu

Wang duan jin ma men
Lao ge cai qiao lu
Xiang qu wu zhi yi
Zhao duan fa qian gu.
Shei neng wei yang xiong
Yi jian “Gan Quan Fu”.

Rural Seclusion

My simple hut far away from the dust and clamor of the world
The ancestors valued the simple and quiet.
Can choose to visit the neighbors along several footpaths
Mountains filled with trees growing fruit at the top.
Cannot control the push of time, year after year
Thirty years and still not chosen to come out of here.

Almost too late now to apply book learning and the martial arts
Close to sunset in my secluded garden.
Getting up early in the morning, tell myself there are many things to do
Throughout the day, often sit with a few insights.
Admire the soaring swan
Lament my competing for scraps among the chickens and ducks.

Hopes fading fast for an opportunity to visit the gold horse gate
Only songs heard are those gathering firewood by the road.
Sing my hometown songs without my best friends
No friends or relatives within the imperial hierarchy.
Who can do the same as Yang Xiang?
The one that wrote “Sweet Springhead Poem”.

Notes:

Chickens and ducks: those who are working for the government.

The gold horse gate: to work for the Emperor.

Yang Xiang: At forty years old, he went to the capital for the first time and then met a high government official

Sweet Springhead Poem: Written by Yang Xiang for the emperor, who liked the poem so much that he appointed Yang as a court poet.