Year
Translation
| Meng Haoran (689-740) | 孟浩然 |
| Gazing at Dongting Lake: A Gift to Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling | 望洞庭湖 贈張丞相 |
| | |
| August... the lake waters, calm, | 八月 湖水平 |
| the vapors and sky horizon, mixing. | 涵虛 混太清 |
| Steam dispels across the Pond of Cloudy Dreams | 氣蒸 雲夢澤 |
| as waves are shaking the walls of Yueyang. | 波撼 岳陽城 |
| I long to cross... no boat, no paddle, | 欲濟 無舟楫 |
| residing at the edge of shame—oh, brilliant sage. | 端居 恥聖明 |
| I sit and watch the fisher’s dangling hooks | 坐觀 垂釣者 |
| in empty leisure, envying the fish. | 空有 羨魚情 |
Notes:
The poem was written when the poet was travelling in Chang’an, the capital of Tang Dynasty. On the surface, the poem was a gift to Prime Minister Zhang. The actual purpose was to beg an official position from him. Later, Meng was recruited to serve in Zhang’s office
Original Chinese
| Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
| | | |
| 孟浩然 | 孟浩然 | Mèng Hào Rán |
| 望洞庭湖贈張丞相 | 望洞庭湖赠张丞相 | Wàng dòng tíng hú zèng zhāng Chéng xiàng |
| | | |
| 八月湖水平， | 八月湖水平， | Bā yuè hú shuǐ píng, |
| 涵虛混太清。 | 涵虚混太清。 | Hán xū hùn tài qīng. |
| 氣蒸雲夢澤， | 气蒸云梦泽， | Qì zhēng yún mèng zé, |
| 波撼岳陽城。 | 波撼岳阳城。 | Bō hàn yuè yáng chéng. |
| 欲濟無舟楫， | 欲济无舟楫， | Yù jì wú zhōu jí, |
| 端居恥聖明。 | 端居耻圣明。 | Duān jū chǐ shèng míng. |
| 坐觀垂釣者， | 坐观垂钓者， | Zuò guān chuí diào zhě, |
| 空有羨魚情。 | 空有羡鱼情。 | Kōng yǒu xiàn yú qíng. |
Literal Notes
| 孟浩然 | Elder-brother/first Grand/great Shape/pledge=Meng Haoran(689-740) |
| 望洞庭湖贈張丞相 | Gaze(into the distance)/look-towards/look-at/look-forward/hope/expect/full-moon Dong/cave/grotto/ravine Ting/courtyard/spacious-hall-or-yard Lake give-as-a-present/bestow/confer Zhang/stretch/extend Cheng/assist/aid Xiang/mutual/recprical/each-other [Dong Ting Lake=a lake in Hunan Province.] [Cheng Xiang= prime minister, the most senior minister of many kingdoms and dynasties (with varying roles). Here refers to the Zhang Jiuling, also a famous poet in Tang.] |
| | |
| 八月湖水平， | Eighth month lake water/river flat/level/calm/peaceful |
| 涵虛混太清。 | Contain/include/soak/wet/be-lenient/tolerate abstract-theory-or-guiding-principles/emptiness/void/hollow/worthless mix/muddy/confused/dirty highest/greatest/too-much/very/extremely pure/clear/quiet/peaceful [Contain abstract-theory-or-guiding-principles = this described the Lake is diffused by the vapor above the lake] [highest pure = refers to the sky] |
| 氣蒸雲夢澤， | Air/weather/steam/vapor evaporate/to-steam Cloud Dream/visonary Pond/damp/moist/marsh/swamp [Cloud Dream Pond/damp/moist=Yunmeng, now it’s a county in Hubei. In ancient times, it included a much broader area from Hubei South to Hunan North, mainly low lying areas. Lake Dongting was also in that area.] |
| 波撼岳陽城。 | Wave/surge/ripple/storm shake/vibrate Yue/mountain-peak Yang/light/sun/male-principle city/town/city-walls [Yue Yang= a city in Hunan] |
| 欲濟無舟楫， | Desire/wish-for/long-for/want/intend cross-a-river/ferry no boat/ship oar/paddle [Meaning: The line is a metaphor to reveal the poet wants to work for the government, but there is no patron.] |
| 端居恥聖明。 | Regular/carry/end/extremity/head/beginning reside/house/live/dwell shame/disgrace/humiliation sage/holy/sacred bright/clear/understand [sage bright = enlightened sage, brilliant master (flattering words applied to ruler)] |
| 坐觀垂釣者， | Sit/take-a-seat to-watch/observe/look-at/behold/see/view hang-down/dangle fishing/fishhook/fish/tempt/lure one-who-is/that-which/he-who/those-who [hang-down/dangle/beneath fishing=angling] |
| 空有羨魚情。 | In-vain/vacant/empty/leisure/free-time have/there-is/exist/to-be envy/admire fish feeling/emotion/situation |