Tao Yuanming: My Feelings For Intellectuals With Bad Timing: Part Two

My Feelings For Intellectuals With Bad Timing

Part Two

感 士 不 遇 赋

哀 哉！ 士 之 不 遇
已 不 在 炎 帝 帝 魁 之 世。
独 祗 修 以 自 勤
岂 三 省 之 或 废。

庶 进 德 以 及 时
时 既 至 而 不 惠。
无 爱 生 之 晤 言
念 张 季 之 终 蔽；

愍 冯 臾 于 郎 署
赖 魏 守 以 纳 计。
虽 仅 然 于 必 知
亦 苦 心 而 旷 岁。

审 夫 市 之 无 虎
眩 三 夫 之 献 说。
悼 贾 傅 之 秀 朗
纡 远 辔 于 促 界；

悲 董 相 之 渊 致
屡 乘 危 而 幸 济。
感 哲 人 之 无 偶
泪 淋 浪 以 酒 袂。

承 前 王 之 清 诲
曰 天 道 之 无 亲；
澄 得 一 以 作 鉴
恒 辅 善 而 佑 仁。

夷 投 老 以 长 饥
回 早 天 而 又 贫；
伤 请 车 以 备 椁
悲 茹 薇 而 殒 身。

虽 好 学 与 行 义
何 死 生 之 苦 辛！
疑 报 德 之 若 兹
惧 斯 言 之 虚 陈.

何 旷 世 之 无 才
罕 无 路 之 不 涩；
伊 古 人 之 慷 慨
病 寄 名 之 不 立。

广 结 发 以 从 政
不 愧 赏 于 万 邑
屈 雄 志 于 戚 竖
竟 尺 士 之 莫 及！

留 诚 信 于 身 后
动 众 人 之 悲 泣。
商 尽 规 以 拯 弊
言 始 顺 而 患 入.

奚 良 辰 之 易 倾
胡 害 胜 其 乃 急！
苍 昊 遐 缅
人 事 无 已。

有 感 有 昧
畴 测 其 理？
宁 固 穷 以 济 意
不 委 曲 而 累 己。

既 轩 冕 之 非 荣
岂 缊 袍 之 为 耻？
诚 谬 会 以 取 拙
且 欣 然 而 归 止。
拥 孤 襟 以 华 岁
谢 良 价 于 朝 市。

Gan Shi Bu Yu Fu

Ai zai ! Shi zhi bu yu
Yi bu zai yan di di kui zhi shi.
Du zhi xiu yi zi qin
Qi san xing zhi huo fei.

Shu jin de yi ji shi
Shi ji zhi er bu hui.
Wu ai sheng zhi wu yan
Nian zhang ji zhi zhong bi;

Min ping yu yu lang shu
Lai wei shou yi na ji.
Sui jin ran yu bi zhi
Yi ku xin er kuang sui.

Shen fu shi zhi wu hu
Xuan san fu zhi xian shui.
Dao gu fu zhi xiu lang
Yu yuan pei yu cu jie;

Bei dong xiang zhi yuan zhi
Lu cheng wei er xing ji.
Gan zhe ren zhi wu ou
Lei lin lang yi jiu mei.

Cheng qian wang zhi qing hui
Yue tian dao zhi wu qin;
Cheng de yi yi zuo jian
Heng fu shan er you ren.

Yi tou lao yi chang ji
Hui zao tian er you pin;
Shang qing dong yi bei guo
Bei ru wei er yun shen.

Sui hao xue yu xing yi
He si sheng zhi ruo xin !
Yi bao de zhi ruo zi
Ju si yan zhi xu chen.

He kuang shi zhi wu cai
Han wu lu zhi bu se;
Yi gu ren zhi kang kai
Bing ji ming zhi bu li.

Guang jie fa yi cong zheng
Bu kui shang yu wan yi
Qu xiong zhi yu qi shu
Jing chi shi zhi mo ji !

Liu cheng xin yu shen hou
Dong zhong ren zhi bei qi.
Shang jin gui yi zheng bi
Yan shi shun er huan ru.

Xi liang chen zhi yi qing
Hu hai sheng qi nai ji !
Cang hao xia mian
Ren shi wu yi.

You gan yu mei
Chou ce qi li ?
Ning gu qiong yi ji yi
Bu wei qu er lei ji.

Ji xuan mian zhi fei rong
Qi yun pao zhi wei chi ?
Cheng miu hui yi qu zhuo
Qie xin ran er gui zhi.
Yong gu jin yi hua sui
Xie liang jia yu zhao shi.

My Feelings For Intellectuals With Bad Timing: Part Two

Finally I got someone who knew who I am
But the new position turned out to be a waste of time.
After careful examination, the talk in the marketplace is without bravery
But if three people confirm a recommendation, then maybe this is persuasive.

Grieve for Guyi, whose talent and smarts got him sent away from the palace
He rode distant and winding roads into the edges of the empire;
Melancholy Dong Zhongshu’s knowledge was deep and wide
Repeatedly in danger, but had the good fortune to always get away.

These two wise men are without peers
They and I lonely, with sleeves full of tears.                                                    Looking back, these honest and upright teachers
The powers of heaven do not care who you are related to;

Use one clear set of criteria to judge people fairly
To help the virtuous and wise to protect those who are benevolent.              But some of the wise and virtuous often die of hunger
Yanhui died young and poor.

So poor, his father had to sell his one cart to buy a coffin.
Too many die in exile, eating wild herbs and grasses
Although one may be fond of learning, and practice loyalty
Why do they die full of pain and suffering!

I am confused why morality and virtue gets punished
While words are empty, promises not made or kept.
Society always has people of talent and ability
Too seldom their roads are full of rough terrain;

The ancients able to be generous on a grand scale
They don’t require fame or recognition.                                                                        At an early age Li Guang influenced imperial politics
He should have been put in charge of thousands.

Instead, this power was given to the incompetent and young relatives of the emperor
He did not even receive one measure of land as a reward!
His promises made to his men were always honored
At his death, multitudes mourned and cried.

Wang Shang advised against fraud and abuse
After revealing his plans, covert trouble entered into the mix.
Why do good intentions get quickly twisted
And the evil are so impatient to do their harm and damage!

Vast and boundless sky remote and distant
Human affairs without stop or change.
Sometimes heaven has feelings–sometimes heaven is confused and ignorant
What reason and truth does heaven use and measure out?

I resolve to be poor and serene, and to follow integrity
Do not want to bend this virtue and integrity to harm my heart.
So I don’t need high office or glory
No need to feel shame or humiliation?

With honesty and clarity one is able to endure the poverty and ridicule
For now, so happy to go back home.
Embrace solitude and breadth of mind to my dying days
Even with a good imperial offer I will stay out of the capital.

Notes:

Dong Zhongshu (179-104 BC): Han Dynasty scholar noted for his promotion of Confucianism as the imperial state ideology.

Yanhui: Confucius’ favorite student and follower.  One of the Four Sages of Confucian philosophy.

Li Guang (?-119 BC): Famous army general during the Han Dynasty. Nicknamed the “Flying General” by his enemies, the northern hordes known as the Xiongnu by the Chinese.  He was a descendant of Laozi.  Committed suicide after failure in one battle.

Commentary:

After reading and studying two ancient stories on the same theme, Tao wrote this prose poem. He hoped that people can do what they say. He laments that old principles and virtues are not being followed like in the past. Men of virtue now have to either work for the emperor in vain, or go to live in rural seclusion, often in poverty.