Tag Archives: Gan Yu

Lament 4 [感遇四] by Zhang Jiuling [张九龄] [w/ Audio]

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South of Yangtze, stands of red tangerine
 Can endure winter while remaining green.
 Is it that the weather there is so warm?
 No. Their nature 's to bear a winter storm.
 What might well serve the joyful traveler
 Will be loathsome peril to passengers.
 Fate factors in chance and situation --
 Not playing around in cyclic rotation.
 You may cultivate crops however you please,
 But should heed shade thrown by mountains & trees.

This is the fourth poem in 300 Tang Poems [唐诗三百首] and the final poem of a quartet that opens that collection. The original in Simplified Chinese is:

江南有丹橘， 经冬犹绿林；
岂伊地气暖？ 自有岁寒心。
可以荐嘉客， 奈何阻重深！
运命惟所遇， 循环不可寻。 
徒言树桃李， 此木岂无阴？

Lament 3 [感遇三] by Zhang Jiuling [张九龄] [w/ Audio]

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Alone, the hermit returns home to sleep.
 He's cleansed of cares by way of solitude.
 He gives thanks and praise to the geese on high
 For lifting feelings to grand altitude.
 Day or night, his mind holds no intentions,
 Who can sense his energy, so subdued?
 His flight and submergence self-limited,
 Where can he find calm, and still be renewed?

This is the third poem in 300 Tang Poems [唐诗三百首] as well as the third of a quartet of poems entitled Gǎn Yù [感遇] that open the collection. The original in Simplified Chinese is:

幽人归独卧， 滞虑洗孤清。
持此谢高鸟， 因之传远情。
日夕怀空意， 人谁感至精？
飞沉理自隔， 何所慰吾诚？

“Lament 2” [感遇二] by Zhang Jiuling [张九龄]

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Verdant orchid leaves of Spring;
   Cassia blooms bright in Autumn;
 Thriving plants, top to bottom.
   Festivals planned by their timings.
 Who knows the forest recluse --
   Pleased with winds and winds with he.
 Plants have stems, branches, and roots
   Why beg a belle to pluck their fruits.

This is poem #2 of the 300 Tang Poems [唐诗三百首,] and is the second in a quartet of poems called 感遇 [Gan Yu.] The original poem in Simplified Chinese goes:

兰叶春葳蕤， 桂华秋皎洁； 
欣欣此生意， 自尔为佳节。 
谁知林栖者， 闻风坐相悦。 
草木有本心， 何求美人折？