Tao Yuanming: Lingering Clouds

Lingering Clouds

停 云

霭 霭 停 云
濛 濛 时 雨。
八 表 同 昏
平 路 伊 阻。

静 寄 东 轩
春 醪 独 抚。
良 朋 悠 邈
搔 首 延 伫。

停 云 霭 霭
时 雨 濛 濛。
八 表 同 昏
平 陆 成 江。

有 酒 有 酒
闲 饮 东 窗。
愿 言 怀 人
舟 东 靡 从。

东 园 之 树
枝 条 再 荣。
兢 朋 亲 好
以 怡 余 情。

人 亦 有 言：
日 月 于 征。
安 得 促 席
说 彼 平 生。

翩 翩 飞 鸟
息 我 庭 柯。
敛 翮 闲 止
好 声 相 和。

岂 无 他 人？
念 子 实 多！
愿 言 不 获
抱 恨 如 何。

Ting Yun

Ai ai ting yun
Meng meng shi you
Ba biao tong hun
Ping lu yi zu

Jing ji dong xuan
Chun lao du fu
Liang peng you miao
Sao shou yan zhu

Ting yun ai ai
Shi yu meng meng
Ba biao tong hun
Ping lu cheng jiang

You jiu you jiu
Xian yin dong chuang
Yuan yan huai ren
Zhou dong mi cong

Dong yuan zhi shu
Zhi tiao zai rong
Jing peng qin hao
Yi yi yu qing

Ren yi you yan
Ri yue yu zheng
An de cu xi
Shui bi pin sheng

Pian pian fei niao
Xi wo ting ke
Lian he xian zhi
Hao sheng xiang he

Qi wu ta ren?
Nian zi shi duo!
Yuan yan bu
Bao hen ru he.

Lingering Clouds

Very misty, lingering clouds
The season of rain and drizzle.
From the eight cardinal directions, everywhere the same light of dusk
Level roads impassable.

Remain in the stillness of the eastern veranda
Alone with unrefined spring rice wine.
Good friends at leisure far away
For a long time scratch my head.

Lingering clouds very misty
Rain and heavy drizzle time of year.
From outside, eight directions share the dusk
Flat land with water everywhere.

Have wine, have lots of new, springtime wine
Leisurely drink at the eastern window.
Very willing to chat with friends
Boats and carriages have not come to see me.

These trees in the eastern garden
Branches and twigs growing buds.
Fond of leaves coming out one by one
The cause of many happy emotions.

People also have words
Sun and moon journey onward without end.
Yet never can get together
To talk and share life stories.

Birds fly off soft and gracefully
Rest on my front courtyard veranda.
They close their wings without fear
Pleasant and gentle harmonies for one another.

Wouldn’t it be the same with my friends?
I am missing you the most.
My wishes have not come to be
This regret and remorse out of my control.

Commentary:

A poem full of “I am missing my friends” emotions. I love his metaphor for this sentiment, by using the sun and moon as never being able to get together and tell each other stories.

Wonderful insight of Tao: the tree buds and leaves emerge from the tree in the same way as these words have emerged from Tao Yuanming.