Covet not a gold-threaded robe,
Cherish only your young days!
If a bud open, gather it --
Lest you but wait for an empty bough.
Original Poem:
「金缕衣」
杜秋娘
劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君惜取少年时。
花开堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝。
Interpretation:
This is a philosophical and meaningful poem from the Middle Tang Dynasty, which advises people not to attach importance to glory and wealth, but to cherish the youthful time.
The first two lines: I advise you not to pay too much attention to the pursuit of fame and fortune, but to cherish the best period of your youthful schooling.
Youth only comes once to anyone, and once it is gone, it will never return. However, the world is more confused about this, love gold like life, throwing away time really quite a lot of it. Again and again “persuade you”, with the tone of dialogue, pay tribute to the attentiveness, there is a very strong flavor of the song and the charm of moving.
The last two lines: flowers can be folded when the time to go despite the fold, do not wait until the flowers thank you only folded an empty branch.
This is the bold singing of youth and love. The passion and exuberance here is not only frank and bold, but also graphic and beautiful.
This poem is rich in meaning, it can be said that it exhorts people to pick the fruit of love in time, and it can also be said that it is a revelation that people should build up their career in time, precisely because it is not very specific, but it is even more rich in connotation.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
Du Qiu, 791-? Du Qiu, known as Du Qiu Niang (杜秋娘), was a native of Jinling in the Tang Dynasty, and became the concubine of Li Qi (李锜) when she was 15 years old. At the age of 15, she became a concubine of Li Qi. In 807 AD, Li Qi formally rebelled against the Tang Emperor Xianzong, who favored her and brought her into the palace. She was later favored by Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty, and later returned to her hometown.
