MISCELLANEOUS POEMS

Tao Qian 

Eastern Jin Dynasty (365-427)

A man is rootless in his day,

Floating like dust along the way.

Blown east and west, no longer am I

Still the same as in days gone by.

When born, I may be called your brother,

Why then should we not love each other?

Let us enjoy when days are fine,

Call neighbors out to drink our wine!

The prime of our life won't come twice;

Each day can't have two mornings nice.

I urge you to rise with the sun,

For time and tide will wait for none.

杂诗

[东晋]陶潜

人生无根蒂,飘如陌上尘。

分散逐风转,此已非常身。

落地为兄弟,何必骨肉亲？

得欢当作乐,斗酒聚比邻。

盛年不重来,一日难再晨；

及时当勉励,岁月不待人。

About the poet 

Tao Qian, a famous Eastern Jin (317-420) Dynasty poet who was better-known by his other name Tao Yuanming. He was keen on living a hermit life after withdrawing from the political scene.

About the translator 

Xu Yuanchong (1921-2021) was a professor of literary translation at Peking University.

About the book 

Golden Treasury of Chinese Poetry in Han, Wei and Six Dynasties Translated by Xu Yuanchong Published by China Intercontinental Press