Du Fu: Give As a Gift With Respect to Official Wei With Twenty-Two Sweet Sounds

Give As a Gift With Respect to Official Wei With Twenty-Two Sweet Sounds

奉 赠 韦 左 丞 丈 二 十 二 韵

纨 袴 不 饿 死
儒 冠 多 误 身。
丈 人 试 静 听
贱 子 请 真 陈；

甫 昔 少 年 日
早 充 观 国 宾。
读 书 破 万 卷
下 笔 如 有 神。

赋 料 扬 雄 敌
诗 看 子 建 亲。
李 邕 求 识 面
王 翰 愿 卜 邻。

自 谓 颇 挺 出
立 登 要 路 津。
致 君 尧 舜 上
再 使 风 俗 淳。

此 意 竟 萧 条
行 歌 非 隐 沦。
骑 驴 十 三 载
旅 食 京 华 春。

朝 扣 富 儿 门
暮 随 肥 马 尘。
残 杯 与 冷 炙
到 外 潜 悲 幸。

主 上 顷 见 微
焱 然 欲 求 伸。
青 冥 却 垂 翅
蹭 蹬 无 纵 鳞。

甚 愧 丈 人 厚
甚 知 丈 人 真。
每 于 百 仔 上
猥 诵 佳 句 新。

窃 效 贡 公 喜
难 甘 原 宪 贫。
焉 能 心 怏 怏
只 是 走 踆 踆。

今 欲 东 久 海
即 将 西 去 秦。
尚 怜 终 南 山
回 首 清 渭 滨。

常 拟 报 一 饭
况 怀 辞 大 臣。
白 鸥 没 浩 荡
万 里 谁 能 驯?

Feng Zeng Wei Zuo Cheng Zhang Er Shi Er Yun

Wan ku bu e si
Ru guan duo wu shen.
Zhang ren shi jing ting
Jian zi qing zhen chen;

Fu xi shao nian ri
Zao chong guan guo bin.
Du shu po wan juan
Xia bi ru you shen.

Fu liao yang xiong di
Shi kan zi jian qin.
Li yong qiu shi mian
Wang han yuan bu lin.

Zi wei po ting chu
Li deng yao lu jin.
Zhi jun yao shun shang
Zai shi feng su chun.

Ci yi jing xiao tiao
Xing ge fei yin lun.
Qi lu shi san zai
Lu shi jing hua chun.

Zhao kou fu er men
Mu sui fei ma chen.
Can bei yu leng zhi
Dao wai qian bei xing.

Zhu shang qing jian wei
Yan ran yu qiu shen.
Qing ming que chui chi
Ceng deng wu zong lin.

Shen kui zhang ren hou
Shen zhi zhang ren zhen.
Mei yu bai zi shang
Wei song jia ju xin.

Qie xiao gong gong xi
Nan gan yuan xian pin.
Yan neng xin yang yang
Zhi shi zou cun cun?

Jin yu dong jiu hai
Ji jiang xi qu qin.
Shang lian zhong nan shan
Hui shou qing wei bin.

Chang ni bao yi fan
Kuang huai ci da chen.
Bai ou mei hao dang
Wan li shei neng xun?

Give As a Gift With Respect to Official Wei With Twenty-Two Sweet Sounds

Rich playboys never experience serious hunger
Children wearing adulthood hats make many lifetime mistakes.
The Honorable Mr. Wei calmly listens to me
Coming from humble beginnings, I ask for an opportunity to clearly explain myself.

In my former days and years
Early on I was given some honor and recognition.
I have read thousands of well-worn books and scrolls
My writing skills like a gift from above.

I compare favorably with Yang Xiong in the writing of essays
My poetry holds up well next to that of Zi Jian.
Li Yong asked to meet me
Wang Han wanted to move to be my nearby neighbor.

Naturally I say these biased things
With these qualities, I should move up and ferry across imposing rivers.
If sent, I will be able to help the likes of model monarchs Yao and Shun
Again we could have the morals and customs of their age.

My well-designed plans so far have come to desolate twigs
My poems not hidden or avoiding the rigors of work and traveling to government positions.
For thirteen years I have been riding a donkey
As a capital city transient I watched their atmosphere of radiant spring festivals.

Knocking at dawn on the doors of the rich and young
At sunset, on my animal I follow the clouds of their dust.
Drink leftover wine and their cold meat dishes
Everywhere hide the lack of good fortune sadnesses.

Imperial decree asks for new people to step forward
Hope that he really wants to renew the country.
Trying to soar up with wings hanging down
Without fresh fish scales, too easy to experience setbacks.

Most of us petitioning you Mr. Wei are honest
Most of us Mr. Wei want what is true and real.
Out of every one hundred job seekers
Only I can chant my newly created poems.

Perhaps I can share a little good fortune and joy with you
Too difficult for me to copy the poverty of Yuan Xian.
Hard to hold back my disgruntled heart-mind
Should I just go for a solitary walk?

Now I hope to enter the eastern sea
Or go into the western lands of Chu.
Sympathy always for the southern mountains
Recollect the clear Wei River banks.

Often plan to stay somewhere to have one meal (a chance to repay you)
Still hope to get the attention of the higher officials.
White seagulls disappear into the vast and mighty crowds
Who else can help me to train for traveling the thousands of li?

Notes:

Official Wei: Du Fu is trying to secure a government position with Mr. Wei as his benefactor.

Yang Xiong: Han Dynasty man famous for his excellent prose.

Zi Jian: Well-regarded poet from the Three Kingdoms period.

Li Yong and Wang Han: Contemporaries of Du Fu noted for their scholarship and writing skills.

Yuan Xian: A student of Kongzi (Confucius).

Enter the eastern sea: To obtain a government job.