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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


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