送綦毋潛落第還鄉 To Qiwu Qian Bound Home After Failing in an Examination

王維 Wang Wei

聖 代 無 隱 者 ，
In a happy reign there should be no hermits;
shèng dài wú yǐn zhě ，
英 靈 盡 來 歸 ，
The wise and able should consult together....
yīng líng jǐn lái guī ，
遂 令 東 山 客 ，
So you, a man of the eastern mountains,
suì lìng dōng shān kè ，
不 得 顧 採 薇 。
Gave up your life of picking herbs
bù dé gù cǎi wēi 。
既 至 金 門 遠 ，
And came all the way to the Gate of Gold –
jì zhì jīn mén yuǎn ，
孰 云 吾 道 非 ？
But you found your devotion unavailing.
shú yún wú dào fēi ？
江 淮 度 寒 食 ，
...To spend the Day of No Fire on one of the southern rivers,
jiāng huái dù hán shí ，
京 洛 縫 春 衣 。
You have mended your spring clothes here in these northern cities.
jīng luò fèng chūn yī 。
置 酒 長 安 道 ，
I pour you the farewell wine as you set out from the capital –
zhì jiǔ zhǎng ān dào ，
同 心 與 我 違 ；
Soon I shall be left behind here by my bosomfriend.
tóng xīn yǔ wǒ wéi ；
行 當 浮 桂 棹 ，
In your sail-boat of sweet cinnamon-wood
xíng dāng fú guì zhào ，
未 幾 拂 荊 扉 。
You will float again toward your own thatch door,
wèi jǐ fú jīng fēi 。
遠 樹 帶 行 客 ，
Led along by distant trees
yuǎn shù dài xíng kè ，
孤 城 當 落 暉 。
To a sunset shining on a far-away town.
gū chéng dāng luò huī 。
吾 謀 適 不 用 ，
...What though your purpose happened to fail,
wú móu shì bù yòng ，
勿 謂 知 音 稀 ？
Doubt not that some of us can hear high music.
wù wèi zhī yīn xī ？

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