It is the famous saying of Du Fu in the Tang Dynasty.

"Twenty-Two Rhymes Presented by Du Fu to Wei Zuocheng"

If a dandy does not starve to death, he will miss his body if he has many scholarly titles. My father-in-law, please listen quietly. I'll ask you to explain.

When I was young, I visited the state guests early in my life. I have read hundreds of thousands of books and written like a god.

The poems praise the heroic enemies, and the poems look at the children and establish a close relationship. Li Yong wanted to know his friends, and Wang Han wanted to tell his neighbors.

He claims to be quite forward-looking, and he immediately ascends to the important road. To the kings Yao and Shun, and to make customs pure.

This meaning is actually depressed, and the singing is not hidden. Riding a donkey for thirteen years, traveling in Beijing and China.

Keep a rich man’s door in the morning, and follow the fat horse dust in the evening. Broken cups and cold dishes are full of sadness and bitterness everywhere.

The Lord saw the sign in an instant, and he was eager to stretch. But Qing Ming drooped his wings and kicked without any vertical scales.

I feel ashamed that my father-in-law is kind, but I know that my father-in-law is true. Every time he goes to a hundred officials, he recites new verses obscenely.

It is a pleasure to steal the tribute and pay tribute to the public, but it is difficult to accept the original poverty. How can one be disheartened and just walk around in a daze?

Now I want to go east to the sea, and I am about to go west to Qin. I still pity Zhongnan Mountain and look back to Qing Weibin.

I often plan to report a meal, but Kuanghuai resigned from the minister. If the white gull is not powerful, who can tame it thousands of miles away?

Translation:

Children from rich families will not starve to death, but poor scholars mostly bring trouble to themselves.

Master Wei, you can listen quietly and I will tell you my past.

When I was a boy, I had long been a guest visiting the royal capital.

I have read tens of thousands of books by heart, and when I write articles, I feel like I have a knack for writing.

My poetry rivals that of Yang Xiong, and my poetry is close to that of Cao Zhi.

Li Yong sought an opportunity to meet with me, and Wang Han was willing to become my close neighbor.

Thinking that he is an extraordinary and outstanding person, he must soon be in a position of power.

Assist the king to make him superior to Yao and Shun, and make the social customs honest and honest.

All the ambitions in life have come to nothing, and singing in sorrow is definitely not about leisure and retirement.

I rode a donkey for thirteen years and spent many New Years in Chang'an.

Knocked on the door of the rich in the morning, followed the fat horse in the evening and was covered in dust.

Eating other people’s leftovers makes people secretly feel hardship everywhere.

Not long after he was recruited by the emperor, he suddenly felt that his ambition could be stretched.

But I am like a bird that breaks its wings and falls from the sky, and like a carp that cannot jump over the dragon gate.

I am very ashamed that you are so generous to me. I know that you treat me with sincerity.

Recommend my poems to the officials, recite the good lines, and praise the fresh style.

I want to imitate Gong Yu and let others promote me, but I can't bear to be as poor as Yuan Xian.

How can I make my heart depressed and angry, always moving forward and backward?

I will run eastward into the sea and will soon leave the ancient Western Qin.

I miss the majestic Zhongnan Mountain, and I also want to look back at the clear shores of the Wei River.

I want to repay your "kindness of a meal" and say goodbye to the many ministers who care about me.

Let me appear like a white gull in the mighty waves of smoke, floating thousands of miles away. Who can capture me?

Extended information

This poem was written in 748 AD (the seventh year of Tianbao reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty), when Du Fu was 37 years old and lived in Chang'an. In 747 AD (the sixth year of Tianbao), Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty issued an order for people with skills from all over the world to go to Beijing to take the exam. Li Linfu ordered the minister to take the provincial exam, and all those who took the exam were not admitted. At this time, Du Fu failed the examination and was trapped in Chang'an. He felt lonely and wanted to leave the capital for a trip, so he wrote this poem to say goodbye to Wei Ji.

The poet mainly uses contrast and twists and turns of expression to express the depressed emotions in his heart in a real and moving way. This poem should be said to be the earliest one that embodies the "melancholy and frustrated" style of Du's poetry.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Twenty-Two Rhymes of Wei Zuocheng