Singing of an Earthenware Jar陶甖賦
予蓄瓦甖。以酒不渝味。甚珍而愛之。且有所況。爲賦以興之。
I kept an earthenware jar in which the wine did not lose its savor, and I held it very precious and was fond of it. There was besides something to be likened to it, and so I made a rhapsody to raise up the thought.
Interlinear notes 1
幷序
The preface (序) is appended together with it.
我有小甖。非鍛非鑄。火與土以相𤎅。落埏埴而乃就。頸癭腹膰。觜侔笙味。譬之瓴則無耳。謂之甀則摦口。不磨而光。如漆之黝。何金皿之是珍。雖瓦器其不陋。適重輕以得宜。合提挈於一手。價甚賤而易求。雖破碎其曷咎。盛酒幾何。未盈一斗。滿輒斯罄。虛則復受。由陶熟而且精。故不淪而不漏。由旁通而不咽。能出納乎醇酎。由能出故不傾不覆。由能納故貯酒斯續。顧一生之攸盛。羌難算其幾斛。類君子之謙虛。秉恒德而不惑。嗟小人之徇財。昧斗筲之局促。以有涯之量。趁無窮之欲。積不知散。猶謂不足。小器易盈。顚沛是速。予置斯甖於座右。戒滿溢而自勖。庶揣分而循涯。儻全身而持祿。
I have a small jar, neither wrought by whetting nor made by casting. Fire and clay baked one against the other, and it came forth from the kneading of the mud and was made. Its neck is lumped, its belly bulges, and its mouth is like the mouthpiece of a reed organ. To liken it to a ryeong (瓴), it has no ears; to call it a chu (甀), its mouth is too wide. Unpolished, it shines, and is black as lacquer. How should only vessels of metal be precious? Earthenware too is not mean. Its heaviness and lightness are well suited, and it is good to hold in one hand. Its price is very cheap and it is easy to come by, so if it breaks, what fault is there in that? How much wine goes into it? It does not come to a full mal. When it is full it is at once emptied, and when it is empty it takes wine again. Because it was baked till it was done, and finely at that, it neither seeps nor leaks. Because its side runs clear and its neck is not choked, it can take in strong wine and let it out. Because it can let out, it is neither tilted nor overturned; because it can take in, the holding of wine goes on in it. Looking back at what it has held in a whole lifetime, it is hard to reckon how many seom. It is like the modest gentleman who keeps hold of the virtue he always bears and is not shaken. Ah, the small man chases after goods and is blind in a narrowness no bigger than a mal or a doe. With a vessel that has an end he chases after a greed that has none. He only piles up and does not know how to scatter, and still he says it is not enough. A small vessel is easily filled, and quick to fall over as well. I keep this jar at the right of my seat, to take warning against being filled to the brim and overflowing, and so to urge myself on. I could wish to measure my portion and follow it to the end, keeping my person whole and holding on to my stipend.
Interlinear notes 2
有耳曰瓴。
The one that has ears is called a ryeong (瓴).
瓦甖小口曰甀。
An earthenware jar whose mouth is small is called a chu (甀).