Meng Haoran (689-740)

A Farewell to Official Wang Wei

Still, quiet—

why wait anymore?

Morning after morning,

the Royal Court—I come back empty.

Desiring to seek

more fragrant grass, I leave

With sorrow for

the old friend as I part.

Of those who take the road to power

who will lend a hand?

Rare in the world are those

who know the tune of true friendship.

I must revere, conserve

the still silence

And cloak myself behind

the door of my ancient garden.

Mèng Hào Rán

Liú bié wáng shì yù wéi

寂寂竟何待，

朝朝空自歸。

欲尋芳草去，

惜與故人違。

當路誰相假，

知音世所稀。

祗應守寂寞，

只应守寂寞，

Zhǐ yìng shǒu jì mò，

還掩故園扉。

Elder-brother/first Grand/great Shape/pledge=Meng Haoran(689-740)

Stay Depart Wang/king Serve Manage Wei/safeguard

[Stay Depart = a farewell poem written to a friend when one goes away. Farewell poems are an important category of Tang Dynasty poems. They can be divided into two subcategories further, namely留別诗 (liú​bié​ shī), a poem written on going away from one’s friend, and 送别诗 (sòng​bié​ shī), a poem given to a friend who is going away​.], [Wang ... Wei = Wang Wei, the famous poet], [Serve Manage = Shi Yu = Serve the Emperor, an official title. In the Tang Dynasty, the main responsibility of the Shi Yu was to supervise officials for the emperor.]

寂寂竟何待，

Still quiet at-last/after-all/finally why wait/expect

朝朝空自歸。

Morning/imperial-court morning/imperial-court empty/hollow/deserted self return

[Morning morning = morning after morning]

欲尋芳草去，

Desire/want/long-for seek/search/look-for fragrant/virtuous/beautiful grass depart/go-away/leave

[Generally speaking, “fragrant grass” has two meanings in classic  Chinese literature. One meaning is vanilla. The other is a common allusion to Qu Yuan, one of the most prominent figures of Romanticism in classical Chinese literature. He used fragrant grass as a metaphor for virtue or people who have virtue. For example, in his masterpiece, Li Sao, there is a verse: “Why has the fragrant grass of the good old days turned to wormwood today?” Due to his influence, later poets often used “fragrant grass” as an allusion to virtue or people who have virtue. Here,  “seek fragrant grass” means that the poet wanted to pursue virtue. The implied meaning is he would not sacrifice his pride and integrity for an official career and instead he would live in seclusion.]

惜與故人違。

Pity/regret for/with old man/friend be-apart-from

當路誰相假，

Undertake/bear road/path who/whose each-other borrow/lend-a-hand

[當路 = undertake road = allusion to people in power. According to Mencius, a classical Chinese philosopher, Gongsun Chou asked Mencius, “If you undertook the road [to power] in the Qi Kingdom, would you contribute to the country as much as Guan Zhong, or Yan Zi?” From this, “undertake the road” became an allusion to people in power.]

知音世所稀。

Comprehend tone/pitch/sound world place/location rare/unusual/scarce

[Comprehend tone = understand music = intimate friend or soul mate. This stems from a well-known story in China. According to Liezi, there was a music master named Yu Boya in ancient times. He was good at playing the Guqin, a traditional stringed instrument, and his friend Zhong Ziqi was good at appreciating the Guqin. When Yu Boya's spirit flew to the high mountains while playing, Zhong Ziqi would say: “it is so towering, like Mount Tai”. When Yu Boya's spirit flew to flowing water while playing, Zhong Ziqi would say: “it is so vast, like the river and ocean.” Whatever Boya thought of Ziqi would never fail to understand. When Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke his Guqin and vowed never to play it again. So Chinese people often use “understand music” to characterize close friends who truly understand and appreciate each other.]

祗應守寂寞，

Respect/revere/look-up-to should/ought-to/must guard/conserve/protect/defend still/silent/quiet silent/still/lonely/solitary

還掩故園扉。

Yet/still/also/besides conceal/cover-with-hand ancient/old garden/park door-panel