[updated September 2022]
In Memory of My Sister Mrs. Cheng (407 AD): Part No. 2
祭 程 氏 妹 文
(2)
昔 在 江 陵
重 罹 天 罚
兄 弟 索 居
乖 隔 楚 越
伊 我 与 尔
百 哀 是 切。
黯 黯 高 云
萧 萧 冬 月
白 云 掩 晨
长 风 悲 节。
感 惟 崩 号
兴 言 泣 血。
寻 念 平 昔
触 事 未 远
书 疏 犹 存
遗 孤 满 眼。
如 何 一 往
终 天 不 返！
寂 寂 高 堂
何 时 复 践？
藐 藐 孤 女
曷 依 曷 恃？
茕 茕 游 魂
谁 主 谁 祀？
奈 何 程 妹
于 此 永 已！
死 如 有 知
相 见 蒿 里
鸣 呼 哀 哉！
(2)
Xi zai jiang ling
Chong li tian fa
Xiong di suo ju
Guai ge chu yue
Yi wo yu er
Bai ai shi qie.
An an gao yun
Xiao xiao dong yue
Bai yun yan chen
Chang feng bei jie.
Gan wei beng hao
Xing yan qi xue.
Xun nian ping xi
Chu shi wei yuan
Shu shu you cun
Yi gu man yan.
Ru he yi wang
Zhong tian bu fan !
Ji ji gao tang
He shi fu jian ?
Miao miao gu nu
He yi he shi ?
Qiong qiong you hun
Shei zhu shei si ?
Nai he cheng mei
Yu ci yong yi !
Si ru you zhi
Xiang jian hao li
Ming hu ai zai !
In Memory of My Sister Mrs. Cheng (407 AD): Part No. 2
In the past (401 AD) I worked in Jiangling
Again and again Heaven punished me
Parents died, siblings scattered far and wide
Not able to visit you then
Only you and I alive to experience these numerous pains and sorrows.
Clouds high and thin
White and sparse the winter moon
Clouds hide the morning light
Strong winds blow with melancholy
Only feel bursting tears, loud words and blood.
Thought of looking at more peaceful times in the past
Circumstances not really far away and remote
The letters we wrote to each other still survive
My eyes full of your solitary gifts
How can you leave and go to heaven
Never to return!
Each room very still and quiet
When can we again walk inside?
Your single daughter very small and pretty
Where can she go?
What will become of your daughter?
Solitary and alone, who can offer sacrifices for you
So your soul will not travel solitary and alone?
How can I help this little daughter
You left us too soon!
If those who pass away have consciousness
We will see each other again
Alas! Such sorrow. Alas!
Commentary:
In the last three lines of this poem, this is the only instance I remember where Tao Yuanming wondered if there was an afterlife or not. Usually he consistently believed that there was no afterlife.