Du Mu: Xu the Seventh Wants to Abandon His Official Position

 

[updated October 2022]

 

Xu the Seventh Wants to Abandon His Official Position, Returned East to His Jiangnan Home, Heard He Was Happy, Late Autumn I Want to Join Him, Send This Poem As a Gift to Him

 

 

许 七 侍 御 弃 官 东 归 潇 洒 江 南 颇 闻 自 适 高 秋 企 望 题 诗 寄 赠 十 韵
天 子 绣 衣 吏
东 吴 美 退 居。
有 园 同 庾 信
避 事 学 相 如。
兰 畹 晴 香 嫩
筠 溪 翠 影 疏。
江 山 九 秋 后
风 月 六 朝 馀。
锦 帙 开 诗 轴
青 囊 结 道 书。
霜 岩 红 薛 荔
露 沼 白 芙 蕖。
睡 雨 高 悟 密
棋 灯 小 阁 虚。
冻 醪 元 亮 秫
寒 鲙 季 鹰 鱼。
尘 意 迷 今 古
云 情 识 卷 舒。
他 年 雪 中 棹
阳 羡 访 吾 庐。

 

Xu Qi Shi Yu Qi Guan Dong Gui Xiao Sa Jiang Nan Po Wen
Zi Shi Gao Qiu Qi Wang Ti Shi Ji Zeng Shi Yun

Tian zi xiu yi li
Dong wu mei tui ju.
You yuan tong yu xin
Bi shi xue xiang ru.

Lan wan qing xiang nen
Yun xi cui ying shu.
Jiang shan jiu qiu hou
Feng yue liu zhao yu.

Jin zhi kai shi zhou
Qing nang jie dao shu.
Shuang yan hong xue li
Lu zhao bai fu qu.

Shui yu gao wu mi
Qi deng xiao ge xu.
Dong lao yuan liang shu
Han kuai ji ying yu.

Chen yi mi jin gu
Yun qing shi juan shu.
Ta nian xue zhong zhao
Yang xian fang wu lu.

 

Xu the Seventh Wants to Abandon His Official Position, Returned East to His Jiangnan Home, Heard He Was Happy, Late Autumn I Want to Join Him, Send This Poem As a Gift to Him

In your youth you wore the embroidered clothes of a petty official
Now you live in a beautiful retirement house in eastern Wu.
And have a garden like Yu Xin
Want to avoid government affairs like Si Ma Xiangru.

You have five acres of sunny orchids, delicate and fragrant
Green bamboo colors reflected and scattered.
Late autumn scenery of rivers and mountains
Breezes and moons of six different kingdoms.

Open markets of brocade sellers, material for several scrolls of poetry and paintings
You bought many books of Daoist divination.
Red xueli grasses and herbs from frosted rocky cliffs
Dew upon natural pond white lotus.

Fall asleep while rain falls upon the dense and tall parasol trees
Play chess under a small pavilion lantern.
Tao Yuanming drank cold sorghum wine
Ji Ying went home to eat cold herring.

You knew ancient and modern times always with traces of dust
Aware of scrolled clouds, fold and unfold like movements of the Dao.
Another year of a boat and oars in deep snow means no guests
But you can visit my simple hut in Yang Xian.

 

Notes:

Eastern Wu:  The state of Wu (12th century-473 BC) was located in the east, and included the modern province of Zhejiang.

Si Ma Xiangru:  (179-117 BC) Western Han Dynasty poet and politician famous for his fu (prose poetry) poems.

Tao Yuanming:  (365-427) Eastern Jin Dynasty poet. His biographical information and work can also be found on this website.

Ji YingJin Dynasty statesman noted for writing works against the attainment of fame and glory.