Translation
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Meng Haoran (689-740)
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孟浩然
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At the Year’s End, Returning to Southern Mountain
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歲暮歸南山
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Northern Palace—
I will stop submitting my petitions
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北闕
休上書
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And go back to the Southern Mountain,
returning to my worn-out hut.
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南山
歸敝廬
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I lack talent—the brilliant
Emperor tosses me aside;
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不才
明主棄
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In great illness,
my old friends neglect me.
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多病
故人疏
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Whitened hair,
the hastened years:
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白髮
催年老
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In spring, the youthful sun
will push aside the passing year.
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青陽
逼歲除
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Always in my heart,
anxiety, a lack of sleep:
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永懷
愁不寐
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The pines, the moon,
an empty window to the night.
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松月
夜窗墟
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Interpretive Notes:
Meng came to the capital at the age of 40-years old. He took the
imperial examination at an old age compared to most test-takers and failed. The Northern Palace is where
officials went to submit applications to the Emperor. In this case, it was Meng
trying to obtain a government position, but he could not succeed, either by
passing the official examination or by connections. The Southern Mountain
refers to Mt. Xian, in his hometown of Xiangyang, Hunan.
imperial examination at an old age compared to most test-takers and failed. The Northern Palace is where
officials went to submit applications to the Emperor. In this case, it was Meng
trying to obtain a government position, but he could not succeed, either by
passing the official examination or by connections. The Southern Mountain
refers to Mt. Xian, in his hometown of Xiangyang, Hunan.
The Chinese calendar is a lunar system; the New Year
typically begins in January or February. So spring pushes aside the previous
year. Here, he is comparing himself with the old year being pushed aside. In
the last verse, the “empty window to the night” is symbolic of his empty (literally
“ruined”) heart.
typically begins in January or February. So spring pushes aside the previous
year. Here, he is comparing himself with the old year being pushed aside. In
the last verse, the “empty window to the night” is symbolic of his empty (literally
“ruined”) heart.
Original Chinese
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Traditional
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Simplified
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Pronunciation
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孟浩然
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孟浩然
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Mèng Hào Rán
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歲暮歸南山
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岁暮归南山
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Suì mù guī nán shān
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北闕休上書，
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北阙休上书，
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Běi quē xiū shàng shū,
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南山歸敝廬。
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南山归敝庐。
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Nán shān guī bì lú.
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不才明主棄，
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不才明主弃，
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Bù cái míng zhǔ qì,
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多病故人疏。
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多病故人疏。
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Duō bìng gù rén shū.
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白髮催年老，
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白发催年老，
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Bái fà cuī nián lǎo,
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青陽逼歲除。
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青阳逼岁除。
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Qīng yáng bī suì chú.
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永懷愁不寐，
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永怀愁不寐，
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Yǒng huái chóu bù mèi,
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松月夜窗墟。
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松月夜窗墟。
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Sōng yuè yè chuāng xū.
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Literal Notes
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孟浩然
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Elder-brother/first Grand/great Shape/pledge=Meng
Haoran(689-740) |
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歲暮歸南山
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Year/years(of age) evening/sunset/dusk return/go-back-to
South Mountain
[Year/years(of age)
evening/sunset = end of the year] |
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[South Mountain=Here refers to Mt. Xian, subject of
Poem#125. It is in the south of the poet’s hometown, Xiangyang.] |
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北闕休上書，
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North imperial-city-watch-tower to-rest/to-stop
go-up/upon/upper/above letter/document/book
[North imperial-city-watch-tower=refers to the imperial
palace, because officials usually go to the North Palace to hand in their memorial for the emperor.], [go-up/upon/upper/above letter/document/book = present a petition, write a letter(to the authority)] |
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南山歸敝廬。
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South Mountain return/go-back-to my(polite)/poor/shabby/worn-out
hut |
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不才明主棄，
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No/not talent/ability bright/light/brilliant lord/owner/master
abandon/discard/relinquish
[No/not talent/ability/a-capable-individual = not talented,
a humble way to address oneself] |
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多病故人疏。
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Frequently/many/a-lot-of/numerous illness/disease old man/person/people
distant(relationship)/not-close/negligent/aloof
[old man = old friends]
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白髮催年老，
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White/gray hair hasten/expedite years old
[years old =aged]
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青陽逼歲除。
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Green/blue/youth sun/light/male-principle
to-compel/press-for/force(sb. to do sth.) year/years(of age) get-rid-of/wipe-out/exclude/eliminate
[Green sun= ancient idiom, spring time], [year get-rid-of =
idiom, the new year is around the corner.] |
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永懷愁不寐，
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Always/forever/perpetual/eternal think-of/to-harbor-in-one’s-mind/bosom/heart/mind
worry-about/anxiety not sleep(soundly) |
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松月夜窗墟。
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Pine-tree moon night/evening window/shutter ruins/high-mound/graveyard/hilly-countryside
[ruins = a variation of another “xu,” meaning emptiness,
as in a lonely and empty heart.] |