陸遊 南鄭馬上作 translation: Written on Horseback in Nanzheng, by Lu You

This is a very rough annotation of the poem 南鄭馬上作 (Nánzhèng Mǎshàng Zuò), ‘Written on Horseback in Nanzheng’, by the Southern Song Dynasty Chinese poet 陸遊 (Lù Yóu).

This is completely my guess work and may be far from the actual meaning of this poem. If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comments at the end of the page.

南鄭馬上作 Nánzhèng Mǎshàng Zuò [Nan] [Zheng] [horse] [on] [writing] Written on Horseback in Nanzheng

南鄭春殘信馬行， Nánzhèng chūn cán xìn mǎ xíng, [Nan] [Zheng] [spring] [cruel] [trust] [horse] [go] The Nanzheng spring is harsh; one trusts the horse to go on;

通都氣象尚崢嶸。 tōng dū qìxiàng shàng zhēng róng. [cross] [city] [atmosphere][] [still] [lofty] [high] crossing the city, the atmosphere still lofty.

迷空遊絮憑陵去， Mí kōng yóu xù píng líng qù, [bewilder] [empty] [roam] [padding] [on] [tomb] [go] One is bewildered by this empty space, roaming endlessly, over tombs;

曳線飛鳶跋扈鳴。 yè xiàn fēi yuān báhù míng. [drag] [thread] [fly] [hawk] [bossy][] [call] dragging the line of a hawk, it calls proudly. *[???]*

落日斷雲唐闕廢， Luòrì duàn yún táng què fèi, [setting] [sun] [break] [cloud] [Tang] [watch-tower] [abandon] The setting sun breaks the clouds, a Tang watch-tower is abandoned;

淡煙芳草漢壇平。 dàn yān fāng cǎo hàn tán píng. [thin] [mist] [fragrant] [grass] [Han] [altar] [peaceful] Thin mist and fragrant grasses, a Han altar is peaceful.

猶嫌未豁胸中氣， Yóu xián wèi huō xiōngzhōng qì, [as if] [dislike] [never] [sacrifice] [bosom] [in] [anger] As if resenting never taking risks, anger rises in one's heart; *[???]*

日斷南山天際橫。 rì duàn nánshān tiānjì héng. [day] [break] [south] [mountain] [sky] [border] [horizontal] the sun breaks the souther mountain horizon.

If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comments below.