Here in the Eighth-month the waters of the lake
Are of a single air with heaven,
And a mist from the Yun and Meng valleys
Has beleaguered the city of Youzhou.
I should like to cross, but I can find no boat.
...How ashamed I am to be idler than you statesmen,
As I sit here and watch a fisherman casting
And emptily envy him his catch.
Original Poem:
「望洞庭赠张丞相」
孟浩然
八月湖水平， 涵虚混太清。
气蒸云梦泽， 波撼岳阳城。
欲济无舟楫， 端居耻圣明。
坐观垂钓者， 空有羡鱼情。
Interpretation:
This poem, which expresses the poet’s positive thoughts of entering the world and his hope for political invocation, is one of the more enlightened masterpieces of Meng Haoran’s poetry.
In 733 A.D., Meng Haoran traveled to Chang’an and wrote this poem to Zhang Jiuling, with the aim of gaining his introduction and appreciation.
The first half of the poem is a general description of the scenery of Dongting Lake. The first half of the poem is about the scenery of Dongting Lake. In the beginning, it is written that the autumn water is in full bloom, and in August, the water and sky of Dongting Lake are all in one color, and Dongting Lake is connected to the sky from afar. Dongting Lake is extremely wide and broad, vast, connected to the sky, moistens thousands of flowers and trees, and accommodates rivers of all sizes. The lake’s rich accumulation, as if the vast swampy area are nourished by the lake feeding, only to look so grass and trees, lush and green.
The second half of the poem is written from the scenery to the inner world, hoping for the prime minister’s introduction. The poet faces the vast lake, thinking that he is still in the wild body, to find a way but no one to introduce, just like want to cross the lake but no boat. In this peaceful world, I am not willing to live in idleness, and I want to join the world to do something. Here he formally confesses his heart to Prime Minister Zhang. This poem not only expresses the feeling of wanting to go out to the civil service, but also writes in a way that is neither humble nor overbearing, which is a famous piece of poetry that does not fall into the commonplace and has been passed down to the world.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Meng Haoran (孟浩然), 689-740 AD, a native of Xiangyang, Hubei, was a famous poet of the Sheng Tang Dynasty. With the exception of one trip to the north when he was in his forties, when he was seeking fame in Chang’an and Luoyang, he spent most of his life in seclusion in his hometown of Lumenshan or roaming around.
