University of Virginia Library

五言律詩 唐玄宗 經鄒魯祭孔子而歎之

夫子何為者, 栖栖一代中。
地猶鄹氏邑, 宅即魯王宮。
歎鳳嗟身否, 傷麟怨道窮。
今看兩楹奠, 當與夢時同。

Five-character-regular-verse
Tang Xunzong I PASS THROUGH THE LU DUKEDOM
WITH A SIGH AND A SACRIFICE FOR CONFUCIUS

O Master, how did the world repay
Your life of long solicitude? --
The Lords of Zou have misprized your land,
And your home has been used as the palace of Lu....
You foretold that when phoenixes vanished, your fortunes too would end,
You knew that the captured unicorn would be a sign of the dose of your teaching....
Can this sacrifice I watch, here between two temple pillars,
Be the selfsame omen of death you dreamed of long ago?