The concealed will cannot be cut off:
Thus I go, following what is accidental.
The evening wind blows at the moving boat;
A road of flowers enters the stream's mouth.
At nightfall, I turn to the western valley,
Looking at the stars Nantou, hidden by the mountain.
The wet fog of the waterside flies wide and quiet;
The moon in the forest is falling down, backwards.
The matters of life are also vast and overflowing;
I want to become an old man with a fishing rod.
「 春泛若耶溪」
幽意無斷絶
此去隨所偶
晩風吹行舟
花路入溪口
際夜轉西壑
隔山望南斗
潭煙飛溶溶
林月低向後
生事且瀰漫
願爲持竿叟
From Hyun Woo:
Today’s poem is a masterpiece, and I feel somewhat sad that my translation cannot show its magnificence. For instance, the hieroglyphs that Qiwu Qian used to write “vast and overflowing” all have the same element which stands for water in them. Meanwhile, the imagery and the sounds simply hit the right notes where they should. This is a very strict fixed verse, following not only the rule that regulates rhymes but also those that regulate tones: as Chinese is a tonal language, there are rules in Tang poetry that restrict what tones you can use where, and what you cannot. However, despite its strict restrictions, the words flow naturally, musically, and even more beautifully than the mundane spoken words.
Although the theme of the will to live a secluded life is very common in Tang poetry, Qiwu Qian’s linguistic mastery is surprising. I wish I could go on a boat ride with him and ask him to recite some poems of his. I believe he will be happy to do that.
If you enjoyed my work, you can buy me a cup of tea. I am not a coffee person, by the way.
Beautiful! Your comments at the end made me curious to hear this read in the original language in order to get a sense of the musicality of the poem. Are you aware of any good recordings?