Translation
Du Fu (712-770) | 杜甫 |
Leaving General Fang at His Tomb | 別房 太尉墓 |
Away from my native land, traveling again and again for my duties, | 他鄉 復行役 |
I halt my horse to bid farewell to a lonely grave. | 駐馬 別孤墳 |
The tears fall close and the land cannot dry | 近淚 無乾土 |
while severed clouds hang low in the sky. | 低空 有斷雲 |
A pair of chess players, together, like Tutor Xie and the Emperor: | 對棋 陪謝傅 |
I lay my sword for you, like you were the Lord of Xu, who cherished it. | 把劍 覓徐君 |
All I see are the flowers falling in the woods, | 唯見 林花落 |
and the warblers weeping, anouncing the parting of this traveler. | 鶯啼 送客聞 |
Notes:
1. Background: Throughout Du Fu’s life, two people were closely related to him. That’s why Poem#111 and #112 were archived into 300 Tang. One is Yan Wu(Poem#111) and the other is Fang Guan(#112). Their friendship was established in humble circumstances, which made it more sincere. Readers can also refer to Poem#111.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
杜甫 | 杜甫 | Dù Fǔ |
別房太尉墓 | 别房太尉墓 | Bié fáng tài wèi mù |
他鄉復行役， | 他乡复行役， | Tā xiāng fù xíng yì, |
駐馬別孤墳。 | 驻马别孤坟。 | Zhù mǎ bié gū fén. |
近淚無乾土， | 近泪无干土， | Jìn lèi wú gān tǔ, |
低空有斷雲。 | 低空有断云。 | Dī kōng yǒu duàn yún. |
對棋陪謝傅， | 对棋陪谢傅， | Duì qí péi xiè fù, |
把劍覓徐君。 | 把剑觅徐君。 | Bǎ jiàn mì xú jūn. |
唯見林花落， | 唯见林花落， | Wéi jiàn lín huā luò, |
鶯啼送客聞。 | 莺啼送客闻。 | Yīng tí sòng kè wén. |
Literal Notes
杜甫 | Birchleaf-pear-tree Man=Du Fu(712-770) |
別房太尉墓 | Leave/depart/separate Fang Highest Military-officer tomb/grave [Fang Highest Military-officer= Fang Guan was once a premier under Emperor Xuanzong, and was demoted because of some battle failure. When he died, the emperor honored him with a virtual title, “The Highest Military Officer” (Tai Wei).] |
他鄉復行役， | Others/he town/village go-and-return/repeat/again/repeatedly walk/go/travel/move current/temporary/capable/servant/service [Others town = away from native land] |
駐馬別孤墳。 | Halt/stop horse farewell/depart lone/lonely/solitary tomb/grave |
近淚無乾土， | Near/close-to/intimate tears/weep/cry no/none/have-no dry soil/mud/earth/dust |
低空有斷雲。 | Low/lower/bend/bow sky/empty/hollow/bare/deserted there-is/have/to-be broken/cut-off/sever clouds [Low sky = low altitude] |
對棋陪謝傅， | Couple/pair chess/Go accompany/keep-company/assist Xie/thank Tutor/teacher [Xie Tutor=Xie An, a famous general in Jin Dynasty. He got the honorary title, Tai Fu (Emperor’s Tutor). He loved playing the board game, Go.] |
把劍覓徐君。 | Hold/grasp/take-hold-of sword/dagger seek/find Xu/slowly/calmly Lord/ruler/gentleman [Note: This quoted an anecdote in the Spring and Autumn period in Chinese history. A man knew that the lord of Xu Kingdom loved his sword. When he knew the lord’s death, he hung his sword on the tree near the tomb, to fulfill his wish. The verse describes an eternal friendship that overrides the life and death.] |
唯見林花落， | Only/alone to-see/meet/appear/observe forest/woods/grove flower/blossom fall/drop |
鶯啼送客聞。 | Oriole/warbler/green-finch weep/whimper/twitter see-off/send/deliver/dispatch guest/visitor hear |
Year:
2012
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