[updated September 2022]
Read Aloud Xie Lingyuan Poems
读 谢 灵 远 诗
吾 闻 达 士 道
穷 通 顺 冥 数。
通 乃 朝 迁 来
穷 即 江 湖 去。
谢 公 才 廓 落
与 世 不 相 遇。
壮 志 郁 不 用
须 有 所 泄 处。
泄 为 山 水 诗
逸 韵 谐 奇 趣。
大 必 笼 天 海
细 不 遗 草 树。
岂 惟 玩 景 物
亦 欲 摅 心 素。
往 往 即 事 中
未 能 忘 兴 谕。
因 知 康 乐 作
不 独 在 章 句。
Du Xie Ling Yuan Shi
Wu wen da shi dao
Qiong tong shun ming shu.
Tong nai zhao qian lai
Qiong ji jiang hu qu.
Xie gong cai kuo luo
Yu shi bu xiang yu.
Zhuang zhi yu bu yong
Xu you suo xie chu.
Xie wei shan shui shi
Yi yun xie qi qu.
Da bi long tian hai
Xi bu yi cao shu.
Qi wei wan jing wu
Yi yu shu xin su.
Wang wang ji shi zhong
Wei neng wang xing yu.
Yin zhi kang yue zuo
Bu du zai zhang ju.
Read Aloud Xie Lingyuan Poems
I heard of this man’s supernatural path
After poverty, clarity and coherence comes to profound minds.
He had an opportunity to excel inside the palace
Instead simplicity can go out to attain the rivers and lakes.
Xie Lingyuan’s talents are vast and varied
Yet not in sync with those of society.
His strong ambitions were not put to use
Had to have a place to release these challenges.
Wrote poems of mountains and rivers with his freedom
Harmonious and sweet sounds of seclusion express extraordinary delight.
His poetic breadth can cover oceans and skies
The smallness of grass and trees also within his grasp.
It is not just to play with the things inside the scenery
He also wanted to express what is in this heart and mind.
Frequently approached the important and central things
Readers unable to forget his feelings and instructions.
Because he wrote of health and happiness
And not made a single line for just literary merit.
Notes:
Xie Lingyuan: (385-433) Renowned Eastern Jin Dynasty poet. Born to famous grandparents and raised by a Buddhist monk after the death of his father. Noted as an early founder of the mountains and streams (landscape) style of poetry.