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 popular lyric from the Middle Tang Dynasty. It is said that Li Qi, the governor of the Tang Dynasty, loved the lyrics so much that he used to order his concubine Du Qiuniang to sing them at banquets. The author of the lyrics is not known, but some Tang poems are entitled Du Qiniang or Li Qi.
The meaning of this poem is very simple, do not waste time. It is originally a kind of thought and feeling common to all human beings. However, it makes the reader feel that the emotion is simple but strong, and can linger in the heart for a long time, with an incredible charm. Each of its verses seems to repeat the single meaning, “Don’t lose the good time!” And each line has subtle changes, repetition but not monotonous, looped and slow, forming a beautiful melody.
The Golden Witch Hazel is a gorgeous and precious thing, but “advise you not to cherish”, see there are far more precious things than it, as expensive as gold also have the time to get again, however, youth to anyone only once, once it is gone is never to return. However, the world is more confused by this, love gold as life, throw away time really a lot of it.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
Du Qiuniang(杜秋娘), 791-? Du Qiuniang was a native of Jinling in the Tang Dynasty, and became a concubine of Li Qi at the age of 15. At the age of 15, she became a concubine of Li Qi, who formally rebelled against the Tang Dynasty in 807 A.D. Later, Li Qi’s rebellion failed, and Du Qiu was taken into the palace, and was later favored by Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty. Later, Du Qiu returned to her hometown. When Du Mu passed through Jinling, he saw how poor and old she was, and wrote “Poem of Du Qiu Niang”, the preface of which briefly describes Du Qiu Niang’s life.
