Drinking Wine: Twenty Poems: No. 16
饮 酒： 二 十 首
少 年 罕 人 事
游 好 在 六 经。
行 行 向 不 感
淹 留 遂 无 成。
竟 抱 固 穷 节
饥 寒 饱 所 更。
敝 庐 交 悲 风
荒 草 没 前 庭。
披 褐 守 长 夜
晨 鸡 不 肯 鸣。
孟 公 不 在 兹
终 以 翳 吾 情。
Yin Jiu: Er Shi Shou
Shao nian han ren shi
You hao zai liu jing.
Xing xing xiang bu gan
Yan liu sui wu cheng.
Jing bao gu qiong jie
Ji han bao suo geng.
Bi lu jiao bei feng
Huang cao mei qian ting.
Pi he shou chang ye
Chen ji bu ken ming.
Meng gong bu zai zi
Zhong yi yi wu qing.
Drinking Wine: Twenty Poems: No. 16
In my youth, seldom met with the ways of the world
Just roamed about, studied the Six Parts of Confucianism.
Very quickly forty years passed
Now remaining in seclusion, without success or achievement.
Eventually held by persistent poverty and want
Endure the experiences of hunger and cold.
Shabby house battered by melancholy winds
Barren, no grasses in the front yard.
Long night bundled up in coarse cloth
Dawn roosters have yet to crow.
Meng Gong not here with me
No one here to share my emotions.
Notes:
Meng Gong: Also known as “Gongchuo”, he was a senior official during the Spring and Autumn period [Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 BC-476 BC)]. He earned a lot of respect from Confucius.
Six Parts of Confucianism: Traditionally known as : rites, music, archery, horsemanship, calligraphy, and math.