Given to Those Who Passed as My Disciples in Four Successive Rounds (贈四度門生及第)贈四度門生及第
戊戌五月十一日。四度門人等。大開華宴。慰予之懸車閑逸。及酒酣於席上。賦長句一篇。以謝厚意萬一耳。
On the eleventh day of the fifth month in the year musul, the men of letters of my four rounds held a grand banquet to console me for having laid down office and living at leisure. When the wine had warmed us, I composed a single long poem on the spot, only to thank them for a ten-thousandth part of their deep goodwill.
Interlinear notes 1
幷序
The preface is appended as well.
四年龍牓鑄門人。較却胎分義等親。老境還供非分樂。此生應有未窮因。招呼愛子參高會。揀選交朋作上賓。好箇雨雲朝暮態。間吾桃李後先春。錦花枝重猶敎揷。玉醑盃深屢請巡。興逸衰顔翻欲少。感多淸淚拭逾新。不唯榮到懸車叟。兼恐譁傳秉筆臣。異日諸君當似此。速提文柄放鸎頻。
For four years I raised up men of letters on the dragon roll (龍榜), and set beside brothers of one womb, our bond is like that of blood kin. In old age I enjoy instead a happiness beyond my lot; there must have been a karmic tie not used up in this life. I called my beloved son to join the lofty gathering, and chose out the friends I keep to be the guests of honor. How good — as rain and cloud change their shape morning and evening, my peaches and plums, some first and some after, divide the spring between them. Though the brocade flower-sprays are heavy, I let them be worn as they are, and though the jadelike wine lies deep in the cups, I ask that it go round often. Joy brims over, and my worn face would grow young again instead; feeling runs high, and though I wipe the clear tears away they keep welling up anew. Not only has this glory come to an old man who has laid down office; I fear it will be noisily passed on even to the officials who hold the brush. In days to come you too should do just as this, taking up the power to grade writing early, and often sending forth those who pass.