Yetgeul › Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) › Latter Collection, Book 3

Matching the Rhymes of Chancellor Yi's Reply to the Poem Presented by Vice Director Bak次韻李平章和朴侍郞所贄詩

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) 東國李相國集 · Yi Gyubo · Compiled 1241 (Goryeo, 28th year of King Gojong); revised and enlarged 1251 · 2 passages · 112 Chinese characters · reading time 1.3 min

Dongguk Isangguk Jip (Collected Works of Minister Yi of the Eastern Country) Latter Collection, Book 3 The collected writings of Yi Gyubo of Goryeo, gathered and cut in woodblock by his son Yi Ham in 1241 and revised and enlarged by his grandson Yi Ikbae in 1251. It holds poems and rhapsodies, memorials and reports sent up to the king, records written for temples and pagodas, stele and tomb inscriptions, letters and prefaces, and the state letters that passed to and from the Mongols during the invasions. The Lay of King Dongmyeong, which sings the founder of Goguryeo, stands in volume 3 of the first collection, and the daily life of a man who called himself the White Cloud Layman — with his wine, his zither and his verse — fills the later collection. The book closes with the last poem he wrote as his eyes failed and he laid down the brush, and with the dirge and tomb inscription others made for him after his death.

將兵寧肯要封侯。揔爲宮家再受符。戎幕幾年嚴豹纛。台階今日耀魚鬚。許容我短君能大。早識君賢我不愚。白首尙蒙提奬厚。餘恩猶足朽株濡。

In leading troops, how should it have been in hope of being enfeoffed as a lord? It was all for the royal house that you twice received the tally of command. In the army tents, how many years did you sternly raise the leopard banner? On the minister's steps today you make the shark-whisker tablet (魚鬚) shine. You take my shortcomings in with a generous hand, and so you are great; I knew your goodness early, so I am not a fool either. Even with white hair I still receive your thick guidance, and the grace left over is enough to moisten a rotten stump.

Interlinear notes 3

仁植

This is Insik (仁植).

絪

This is In (絪).

二首

Two poems.

上了靑雲但未侯。退來方與夙心符。將身始可安蝸殼。有手何曾放鼠鬚。閱世已甞生老病。傾盃不擇聖賢愚。家貧尙足營甘醴。莫惜時迴玉轡濡。

I climbed the blue clouds, yet a lord was the one thing I never became, and only on withdrawing did it at last fit my long-held heart. Holding my body together, I now lodge at ease in a snail's shell; having hands, when did I ever lay down the rat-whisker brush? Passing through the world I have already tasted birth, age, and sickness; when I tip the cup I do not pick between clear wine, cloudy wine, and bad wine. Though my house is poor, there is enough in it to brew sweet wine, so now and then do not grudge turning your jade reins this way to wet your throat.

Interlinear notes 3

自謂。

This was said of himself.

公不飮故云。

His Lordship does not drink wine, and so this was said.

聖賢愚 — to the old saying that called clear wine the sage (聖) and cloudy wine the worthy (賢), one more, 「the fool (愚)」, is added, making a play on words paired with the three of the line before, birth and age and sickness. — the translator

‹ Matching the Rhymes of Vice Minister Yi, Who Used Chancellor Yi's Rhymes in Sending Me Seed of Many Kinds of Vegetables Contents Matching the Rhymes of the Magistrate of Jeju, Who Used the Rhymes of a Poem Sent Earlier to Inquire After Me and Also Presented Green Tangerines ›Listen to this piece