119 王維 酬張少府 translation: Answering Minister Zhang, by Wang Wei

This is a translation and annotation of the poem 酬張少府 (Chóu Zhāng Shǎofǔ), “Thoughts I of IV”, by the Tang dynasty poet 王維 (Wang Wei). The poem is #119 in the collection 300 Tang Poems, and is also known by its first line: 晚年惟好靜 (Wǎnnián Wéi Hǎo Jìng).

酬張少府 Chóu Zhāng Shǎofǔ [Reply] [Zhang] [Minister][] Answering Minister Zhang

晚年惟好靜， Wǎnnián wéi hào jìng, [late] [year] [only] [fond of] [quiet] In one's later years one is only fond of tranquillity,

萬事不關心。 Wàn shì bù guānxīn. [ten thousand] [issue] [not] [concern] [heart] and a myriad things do not trouble one's heart.

自顧無長策， Zì gù wú cháng cè, [self] [consider] [not have] [develop] [policy] One looks inwards but has never cultivated an opinion;

空知返舊林。 Kōngzhī fǎn jiù lín. [empty] [knowledge] [return] [former] [forest] devoid of knowledge, one returns to one's former home.

松風吹解帶， Sōng fēng chuī jiě dài, [pine] [wind] [blow] [loosen] [belt] In the pines the wind blows, one loosens one's belt;

山月照彈琴。 Shān yuè zhào tánqín. [mountain] [moon] [shine] [pluck] [lute] In the mountains the moon shines, one plays the lute.

君問窮通理， Jūn wèn qióng tōng lǐ, [sir] [ask] [destitute] [connect] [truth] You ask of the principles of poverty versus wisdom - 窮通 is a contrastive binome – “poverty and wealth” or “separation and connection”.

漁歌入浦深。 Yúgē rù pǔ shēn. [fisherman] [song] [enter] [river] [profound] the fisherman's song on the river is profound!

Useful links:

• 酬張少府 - 百度百科
• 300 Tang Poems (Waters, Farman, Lunde)
• Fifty Five T’ang Poems (Hugh M. Stimson)
• Poems of the Late T’ang (A. C. Graham)
• Translation of 酬張少府 into English on chinapage.com
• Translation of 酬張少府 into English by 南緯28°