Exiled Me to Hainan, Ziyou Ordered to Leizhou Without Delay, So We Could not Meet, I Came From Wuzhou, He From Tengzhou. Maybe I Can Catch Up to Him Tomorrow
吾 谪 海 南， 子 由 雷 州， 被 命 即 行， 了 不 相 知， 至 梧 乃 闻 尚 在 藤 也。 旦 夕 当 追 及， 作 此 诗 示 之
九 疑 联 绵 属 衡 湘
苍 梧 独 在 天 一 方。
孤 城 吹 角 烟 树 里
落 月 未 落 江 苍 茫。
幽 人 拊 枕 坐 叹 息
我 行 忽 至 舜 所 藏。
江 边 父 老 能 说 子
白 须 红 颊 如 君 长。
莫 嫌 琼 雷 隔 云 海
圣 恩 尚 许 遥 相 望。
平 生 学 道 真 买 意
岂 与 穷 达 俱 存 亡。
天 其 以 我 为 箕 子
要 使 此 意 留 要 荒。
他 年 谁 作 舆 地 志
海 南 万 里 真 吾 乡。
Wu Zhe Hai Nan, Zi You Lei Zhou, Bei Ming Ji Xing, Le Bu Xiang Zhi, Zhi Wu Nai Wen Shang Zai Teng Ye. Dan Xi Dang Zhui Ji, Zuo Ci Shi Shi Zhi
Jiu yi lian mian shu heng xiang
Cang wu du zai tian yi fang.
Gu cheng chui jue yan shu li
Luo yue wei luo jiang cang mang.
You ren fu zhen zuo tan xi
Wo xing hu zhi shun suo zang.
Jiang bian fu lao neng shuo zi
Bai xu hong jia ru jun chang.
Mo xian qiong lei ge yun hai
Sheng en shang xu yao xiang wang.
Ping sheng xue dao zhen mai yi
Qi yu qiong da ju cun wang.
Tian qi yi wo wei ji zi
Yao shi ci yi liu yao huang.
Ta nian shei zuo yu di zhi
Hai nan wan li zhen wu xiang.
Exiled Me to Hainan, Ziyou Ordered to Leizhou Without Delay, So We Could not Meet, I Came From Wuzhou, He From Tengzhou. Maybe I Can Catch Up to Him Tomorrow
Mt. Jinyi range runs all the way back to Hunan
Traveling alone, one direction through Cangwu.
Solitary city wall, conch blows across the headlands into the mists and trees
Moon not yet set down into the vast blue ocean.
In seclusion, I fluff the pillow, sit up to recite poetry
We travel through the place where Emperor Shun died.
Experienced boatmen know of me through my brother
They described him with a white beard and red cheeks like me.
Do not complain about me in Haikou, you are across the strait
Our emperor so gracious to put us so close together.
All our lives we studied the Dao, the real and genuine truth
Making us poor does not affect our life or death.
Like Jizi, Heaven has sent me to the edge of civilization to teach and help the people
I am needed and sent to this wilderness on purpose.
After several years someone may write about my work here
Then Hainan may be my real hometown.
Notes:
Cangwu: County in eastern Guangxi Province
Emperor Shun: (ca. 2294-c. 2184 BC) Historian Sima Qian identified him as one of the legendary Five Emperors.
Haikou: Provincial capital city of Hainan island.
Jizi: Semi-legendary sage and relative to the last Shang Dynasty king (ca. 1600-c. 1046 BC).