Miscellaneous Poems IV

Poetry of Tao Yuanming 《杂诗 · 其四》

English Rendering

A lofty man should benefit four seas,  

But I’d enjoy till old a life of ease.  

I’d have my kinsmen under the same roof,  

And all my children safe and sound, harm-proof.  

I croon and play my lute morning or night;  

My wine cup never dried affords delight.  

Freely I’d drink my fill with loose belt ties;  

Early I’d go to bed and late to rise.  

Can I be like those who would climb up higher,  

Worried for gain and loss like ice and fire?  

All will be buried in the grave in time.  

Why should we care for glory, though sublime! 

Miscellaneous Poems IV by Tao Yuanming -
"Miscellaneous Poems IV" by Tao Yuanming

Original Text (中文原文)

丈夫志四海,我愿不知老。

亲戚共一处,子孙还相保。

觞弦肆朝日,樽中酒不燥。

缓带尽欢娱,起晚眠常早。

孰若当世时,冰炭满怀抱。

百年归丘垄,用此空名道!

Meaning & Analysis

Miscellaneous Poems IV was composed around 414 AD when Tao Yuanming was approximately fifty years old. The poet reflects on his youthful aspirations to achieve greatness across the land, now finding himself in twilight years with unfulfilled ambitions, inevitably giving rise to profound reflections. During his rural retreat, while enjoying family reunions and tranquil simplicity, he simultaneously grieves over time's swift passage and unrealized dreams. This poem represents a soliloquy born from such complex emotions.

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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