Miscellaneous Poems II

Poetry of Tao Yuanming 《杂诗 · 其二》

English Rendering

Beyond the western hills sinks the sun white;  

Over east ridge the moon sheds her pure light.  

For miles and miles overflow the moonbeams;  

The air is permeated with shadows and dreams.  

With the west wind my lonely room is filled;  

At dead of night my mat and pillow chilled.  

In autumn’s breath I hear seasonal song;  

On sleepless bed I feel the night so long.  

I want to talk, but to whom to confide?  

I drink to lonely shadow by my side.  

The sun and the moon rise and fall with speed,  

But where can I gallop at will my steed?  

Thinking of this, I am so much depressed.  

How could my mind all the night long find rest!

Miscellaneous Poems II by Tao Yuanming -
"Miscellaneous Poems II" by Tao Yuanming

Original Text (中文原文)

白日沦西阿,素月出东岭。

遥遥万里辉,荡荡空中景。

风来入房户,夜中枕席冷。

气变悟时易,不眠知夕永。

欲言无予和,挥杯劝孤影。

日月掷人去,有志不获骋。

念此怀悲凄,终晓不能静。

Meaning & Analysis

This poem was composed in 414 AD when Tao Yuanming was fifty years old, having lived in rural seclusion for many years. Having experienced turbulent social changes and an unsuccessful official career, though Tao's heart tended toward tranquility, he still often felt deep emotions about the passage of time and unfulfilled ideals during solitary nighttime reflections. The poem depicts the cold and desolate scenery of an autumn night, conveying the poet's sorrowful mood during sleepless nights and unrealized ambitions, revealing the loneliness and melancholy in his philosophical thoughts and emotional depths.

Related Themes

Reader's Companion

The Essence of the Verse

Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.

Reading Between the Lines

Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.

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