Translation
Wang Bo (649-676) | 王勃 |
Seeing Off Minor Treasurer Du, Who is Taking Up a Post in the Shu Province | 送杜少府 之任蜀州 |
The Capital’s tower looks over the remains of Qin; | 城闕 輔三秦 |
Amid the foggy wind... I gaze at Shu and its five ferry crossings. | 風煙 望五津 |
With you, reflecting on our parting, | 與君 離別意 |
Together we’re both away on official duties... | 同是 宦遊人 |
Throughout the seas you are a true friend | 海內 存知己 |
And across the sky, to the other shore, we remain as neighbors. | 天涯 若比鄰 |
Let’s not be, along this branching path, | 無為 在歧路 |
Like parting lovers soaked in tears. | 兒女 共沾巾 |
Notes:
1. The poet, Wang Bo, is regarded as one of the top four literary talents of the Early Tang period.
2. The 5th and 6th verses (Hǎi nèi cún zhī jǐ, tiān yá ruò bì lín) are well-known and any literate person in China can recite them.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
王勃 | 王勃 | Wáng Bó |
送杜少府之任蜀州 | 送杜少府之任蜀州 | Sòng dù shào fǔ zhī rèn shǔ zhōu |
城闕輔三秦， | 城阙辅三秦， | Chéng quē fǔ sān qín, |
風煙望五津。 | 风烟望五津。 | Fēng yān wàng wǔ jīn. |
與君離別意， | 与君离别意， | Yǔ jūn lí bié yì, |
同是宦遊人。 | 同是宦游人。 | Tóng shì huàn yóu rén. |
海內存知己， | 海内存知己， | Hǎi nèi cún zhī jǐ, |
天涯若比鄰。 | 天涯若比邻。 | Tiān yá ruò bì lín. |
無為在歧路， | 无为在歧路， | Wú wéi zài qí lù, |
兒女共沾巾。 | 儿女共沾巾。 | Ér nǚ gòng zhān jīn. |
Literal Notes
王勃 | King Flourishing=Wang Bo(649-676) |
送杜少府之任蜀州 | Send/see-off Du Minor/few Government to report-duty/appoint/take-up-a-post Shu Zhou [Minor Government= Minor Treasurer, an official title, one of the nine ministers], [Shu Zhou= refers to today’s Sichuan Province] |
城闕輔三秦， | City-wall/castle/city imperial-city-watchtower/palace nearby/assist/auxillary Three Qin/Qin-Dynasty [City-wall imperial-city-watchtower= here refers to the capital city, Chang’an.], [Three Qin=refers to Shaanxi area, because when Emperor Xiangyu destroyed Qin Kingdom he divided the land into 3 small countries. The word “China” comes from the Qin Dynasty.] |
風煙望五津。 | Wind/air/atmosphere beacon/smoke/soot watch/look-distantly/look-at five ferry-crossing/ford-crossing [five ferry= Back then, there were five ferry places along Min River in Sichuan.], [Meaning: On top of Chang’an’s watchtower, you can still see some scenery in Sichuan, hinting we are not that far away, and do not be sad during the farewell.] |
與君離別意， | With/and/take-part-in gentleman(you) to-leave(on a long journey)/depart/go-away part-from-somebody/separate feeling/thought [to-leave part = to leave, part from somebody] |
同是宦遊人。 | Alike/similar/same/together-with as/to-be/indeed/yes/this/that official traveling/wandering person [Meaning: We are both serving our duties away from home.] |
海內存知己， | Sea/ocean inside/among there-is/remain/exist/stores/survives know/comprehend self/oneself [sea there-is = the whole world, throughout the land, everything under the sun], [know self = intimate friend, soul mate] |
天涯若比鄰。 | Far-flung-realms/sky/heaven sky-end/shore/bank/water’s-edge as-if/if/supposing/assuming/similar nearby/compare/liken (as)neighbors [the whole verse is an idiom meaning “far-flung realms as next door,” “close in spirit though far away,” “absence makes the heart grow fonder] |
無為在歧路， | Do-not/no/not/lack do/for/be on/be-at/in different/diverge-from/fork-of-road/branching-off road/path/journey [do-not do = let things take their course, Daoist doctrine of inaction], [different road = diverge from the main road/path] |
兒女共沾巾。 | Son/child daughter/woman/girl together-with wet/moisten/soak handkerchief [Son daughter= from an idiom, the love between young man and woman], [meaning of the above 2 verses: Please do not act like a young lover during separation, crying upon our farewell.] |
Note: Liane Rui of Shanghai, China assisted with the notes and character tables.
Year:
2012
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