This poem uses the flourishing plants of spring as a metaphor for a happy hermit's life. In the poem, the flowers and trees are happy in the forest, smelling each other's wonderful fragrance and have no desire to be plucked out of their environment. Likewise, the hermit has no desire to be pulled back into society.

Translation

By Zhang Jiuling
張九齡
Lamentation 2
感遇其二


The orchid leaves
of spring
are flourishing, abundant;

蘭葉
葳蕤
Laurels are splendid
and autumn
is shining bright.

桂華
皎潔
So happy, happy
is this life,
they feel,

欣欣
此生
Thus themselves
becoming
a season of delight.

自爾
佳節
Who knows this?
The hermit,
the forest dwelling one.

誰知
林棲者
Smelling the wind,
sitting and mutually pleased,

聞風
坐相悅
The grass and trees
have a rooted heart;

草木
有本心
Why then seek
someone beautiful
to pluck them out?

何求
美人
Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation



張九齡
Zhāng Jiǔlíng
感遇其二
感遇其二
Gǎn yù qí èr



蘭葉春葳蕤,
叶春葳蕤,
Lán yè // chūn wēi ruí,
桂華秋皎潔;
秋皎;
Guì huá // qiū jiǎo jié;
欣欣此生意,
欣欣此生意,
Xīn xīn // cǐ shēng yì,
自爾為佳節。
尔为
Zì ěr // wèi jiā jié.
誰知林棲者?
知林栖者,
Shuí zhī // lín qī zhě?
聞風坐相悅,
闻风坐相悦?
Wén fēng // zuò xiāng yuè,
草木有本心,
草木有本心,
Cǎo mù // yǒu běn xīn,
何求美人折?
何求美人折?
Hé qiú // měi rén zhé?

Literal Translation

Feel Encounter Its Two [Lamentation #2]

Orchid leaves spring flourishing overladen [with flowers],
Laurel splendid autumn white pure; [white pure = shining bright]
Happy happy this life think,
Self thus become delightful season.
Who knows forest dwelling one? [who knows = who would have thought?]
Smell wind sit mutual pleased,
Grass tree have root heart, [grass tree = vegetation, plants]
Why seek beauty person pluck [off]?
Year: 
2011