In Memory of Myself: Part 1
自祭文
(1)
岁 惟 丁 卯
律 中 无 射。
天 寒 夜 长
风 气 萧 索
鸿 雁 于 征
草 木 黄 落。
陶 子 将 辞 逆 旅 之 馆
永 归 于 本 宅。
故 人 凄 其 相 悲
同 祖 行 于 今 夕。
羞 以 嘉 蔬
荐 以 清 酌。
候 颜 已 冥
聆 音 愈 漠。
呜 呼 哀 哉！
茫 茫 大 块
悠 悠 高 旻
是 生 万 物
余 得 为 人。
自 余 为 人
逢 运 之 贫
箪 瓢 屡 罄
絺 绤 冬 陈。
Zi Ji Wen
Sui wei ding mao
Lu zhong wu she.
Tian han ye chang
Feng qi xiao suo
Hong yan yu zheng
Cao mu huang luo.
Tao zi jiang ci ni lu zhi guan
Yong gui yu ben zhai.
Gu ren qi qi xiang bei
Tong zu xing yu jin xi.
Xiu yi jia shu
Jian yi qing zhuo.
Hou yan yi ming
Ling yin yu mo.
Wu hu ai zai!
Mang mang da kuai
You you gao min
Shi sheng wan wu
Yu de wei ren.
Zi yu wei ren
Feng yun zhi pin
Dan piao lu qing
Chi xi dong chen.
In Memory Of Myself: Part 1
It is now the end of the ninth lunar month, 427 AD.
Sky is turning cold, nights getting longer
Wind is desolate and chilly
Wild geese making their journeys
Grass and leaves turn yellow and fall down.
I will take leave and journey away from my house and human affairs
Forever to go back to my original home.
Old friends appear sad and mournful
My common ancestors transitory like today’s sunset.
They set out the choicest food and the purest wine.
My face already dark and obscure
Vision and hearing are more indiscriminate.
Alas, to cry out in grief!
Boundless and vast the earth
Infinitely tall the autumn sky
The ten thousand things have emerged
I am just one human being here.
Naturally I met my destiny of poverty
Our bamboo containers
And wooden ladles frequently empty
Only one set of course winter clothes.