Buzz
1. The Drama of Life
One shoulder, one handful, what does it lack?
Even sour limes and sour starfruit alike,
Sure, I'll skip dinner but save lunch,
Yet still I long for fish, regretful of the carp.
Blame the fortune teller for a hundred things,
Many monks yet no one locks the temple doors.
The wise can still speak cleverly,
Even if others cause mischief in the pond.
Source: Nguyễn Công Trứ - Life and Poetry, compiled by Đoàn Tử Huyến, p. 16, Labor Publishing House, 2011
2. The Spirit of a Man
The brightest of men,
Weak as a rare sight in the world.
Born into a time, must there be something?
Shall I let go of thirty-six thousand days?
Why envy what the Creator has made,
The debt of life must be paid back in full.
Having ventured into the battle of the pen, strive for mastery,
Make it clear that a man must perfect himself.
In the universe, one's duty is clear,
To have a name that resounds through the mountains and rivers.
Can one leave without a trace?
Sources:
1. Dương Quảng Hàm, Vietnam's Poetry Anthology, National Education Publishing, Hanoi, 1951
2. Nguyễn Công Trứ's Poetry, edited & introduced by Trương Chính, Literature Publishing House, 1983
3. Đỗ Bằng Đoàn, Đỗ Trọng Huề, Vietnam Ca Trù Research, Văn Khoa Printing, Saigon, 1962
3. The Scholar's Richness of Taste
Cut through the difficulty!
Cut through the difficulty!
How clever is anyone?
What a vile one!
Six-fold hardship, yet the teachings are clear and correct,
Countless sins start from the root, that is what the wise say.
See here:
Four walls,
Three rooms made of grass.
Rafters eaten away, painted in disarray,
Spider webs by the door, wind sweeping through.
Bamboo walls separating the kitchen and the room,
Bamboo tubes storing food, piled high with rice.
Bed made of bamboo, termites creeping inside,
Earth walls with worm holes.
The sun casts shadows of eggs on the wall, the child peeks from behind,
The rain reflects in the mouse hole, as the cat watches.
In the pigsty, the pigs feast from their trough, hungry but silent,
On the shelf, rats knock over the pot, but lose interest quickly.
Three meals a day, filled with vegetables, a gentleman doesn’t eat to his full,
At night, five watches, the snoring of a deep sleep, the peaceful life with doors always ajar.
Warm tea brewed with leaves from the banyan and tea plant, a taste both bitter and sour,
A betel nut with plum and date skin, chewing, spitting out the bitterness.
Heavy coarse fabric, used as blankets in the cold, pillows in the heat, changing with the seasons,
A red cloth tied to wipe away sweat, used as mats, pants, all for simple pleasure.
A swing to ease the heat, fans made of palm fronds,
Leather shoes and wooden clogs to protect against the earth's chill.
The meal ready with unripe papaya and boiled squash, it tastes just right,
The toys made of reed and bamboo pipes, quaint and simple.
Old tea set, cracked teapot,
Drinking wine from a clay jug with a chipped neck.
Old items, with bamboo paintings on the wall, smoke wafts, the faded colors blur,
Old books placed on a shelf, ants scurrying, signs of old wear and tear.
Card games, a deck passed through generations, with unclear characters and stories told over time,
A board game worn out, moving pieces where the story still lingers.
A pile of harvested rice, packed into wooden boxes,
A basket full of sweet potatoes, just enough for a family.
Expenditures are small, money saved for necessities,
The harvest is enough for what’s needed, a modest portion to sustain.
Meals not always ready on time, the children cry like bees,
Delays repeat and debts rise like the cries of a hungry family.
Medicine is scarce, a pinch of herbs gathered, hoping for relief,
Teachers and healers deceive, seeking their fortune, but honor can’t be bought with trickery.
Theorists dream of holy luck, empty promises to the heavens,
Plans to buy land and sell souls, but fate leaves them empty-handed.
Business ventures struggle, with no profits gained,
But still, one must keep trying, even when the path is unclear.
Hard work yields few rewards, yet the journey continues with persistence,
In the end, it's not the wealth that defines a man, but his effort to rise above.
Source: Văn đàn bảo giám, Trần Trung Viên compiled 1926, Hư Chu edited 1968, Reprinted by Xuân Thu in California
4. The Pine Tree
Sitting idly, blaming the green man
When joy comes, tears fall; in sorrow, a smile appears. In the next life, don't be human, Be a pine tree standing tall in the sky, singing with the wind. In the midst of the sky, the cliffs rise steeply, Who can withstand the cold, must climb with the pine tree.
5. The Areca Palm
Thanks to God for planting it so well
Each day, it grows higher and higher
Its back adorned with silver straps, untouched by the mist
Its head crowned with lush green, no sun can penetrate
Its clusters of offspring abundant, beyond counting
In the house, many guests are easily greeted
A towering giant, one pillar reaching the sky
Even when the wind sways, it remains unfazed.
Source: Poetry of Nguyễn Công Trứ, edited & introduced by Trương Chính, NXB Văn học, 1983
6. Advice for Mankind
Consider how the world wisely looks at its reflection
When faced with difficulties, only a few are truly concerned
Words can express disdain, but actions speak louder
It's not easy to force someone to love with empty hands
Everyone strives for a share of success
If I remain pure, I stick to the usual standards
My path is no different from my fate
So, don't be perplexed or overly concerned.
Source: Vietnamese Poetry Collection, Dương Quảng Hàm, Published by the National Education Department, Hanoi, 1951
7. The Life of a Poor Man
Nói phô nghe cũng giỏi con giai
Vì nỗi không tiền hóa dở ngài
Khôn khéo dễ hầu bưng khắp miệng
Khen chê thôi cũng gác ngoài tai
Tính quen mặt đó, đà ghe kẻ
Song biết lòng cho, dễ mấy ai?
Ðã thế thời thôi thôi mặc thế
Ði lâu rồi mới biết đường dài.
Nguồn: Thơ văn Nguyễn Công Trứ do Trương Chính biên soạn & giới thiệu, NXB Văn học, 1983
8. Bài ca ngất ngưởng
The universe is beyond our control,
Mr. Hi Văn, a scholarly man, has entered the fold.
At times he was a top scholar, an advisor, or a governor of the East,
Mastering strategies with unmatched skill and grace.
When pacifying the West, he held the banner of a general,
Sometimes he returned to the Phủ doãn of Thừa Thiên.
His family heritage shone through the years,
With a golden horse harnessed and proudly worn.
There, in the distance, the mountain’s white clouds roll,
With a bow and arrow, his form exudes compassion.
He walks with a graceful step, almost like an immortal,
Even the Buddha would laugh at his grandeur.
Success and failure, he rose above it all,
His reputation soaring with the eastern winds.
In moments of song, of wine, and of reflection,
He knew no attachment, no ties to the mundane.
Neither Fate nor Music could hold him back,
For his loyalty to the emperor remained firm and true.
Who in the court could match his stature?
This poem has been included in various Vietnamese literature programs for high school students from 1990-2006, and in the curriculum since 2007.
Sources:
1. Lê Thước, The Life and Poetry of Uy Viễn Tướng Công Nguyễn Công Trứ, Lê Văn Tân Publishing, 1928
2. Trương Chính (Ed.), Poetry of Nguyễn Công Trứ, Văn Học Publishing, 1983
3. Nguyễn Tường Phượng, Phan Văn Sách, Bùi Hữu Sủng, Vietnamese Literature Lectures on the Late 19th Century, Nguyễn Khuyến School Publishing, Hanoi, 1954
4. Đỗ Bằng Đoàn, Đỗ Trọng Huề, The Study of Vietnam's Ca Trù, Văn Khoa Printing House, Saigon, 1962
9. The Ambitions of a Man
The world’s expanse, both wide and narrow,
With debts of honor borrowed and repaid.
A man’s ambition stretches across the North, South, East, and West,
Using his strength to conquer the vastness of the world.
Since ancient times, who has truly escaped death?
He keeps a pure heart, shining with determination.
Indeed, who can dishonor others while claiming their own glory,
Few recognize a true hero when the time is right.
Even in moments of intense storms and waves,
He takes the helm, steering through the fierce winds.
With thoughts of moving mountains and filling seas,
He makes his heroic deeds known far and wide.
The skies are vast, and his steps are grand,
With debts long cleared, the crowd cheers in praise.
Leisurely, he writes poems, drinks wine from a bowl.
Source: Đỗ Bằng Đoàn, Đỗ Trọng Huề, The Study of Vietnam's Ca Trù, Văn Khoa Printing House, Saigon, 1962
10. A Self-Reflective Examination
Should I leave or return without purpose?
The debt of writing must be fulfilled!
Perhaps I should enjoy the peace of rural life and pass the seasons.
Yet, I've entrusted my life to a pledge of duty.
In this vast world, carrying a reputation is essential.
I must earn a name worthy of this land.
In the trials of life, who can truly understand?
Only time will reveal the face of the true hero.
As documented in the Literature Journal, it is entitled 'A Self-Reflective Examination'.
Sources:
1. Nguyễn Công Trứ's Works, edited by Trương Chính, published by Văn học Publishing House, 1983
2. Nguyễn Tường Phượng, Phan Văn Sách, Bùi Hữu Sủng, A Study of 19th Century Vietnamese Literature, Nguyễn Khuyến School Publishing, Hanoi, 1953
3. Literature Journal, Văn học Publishing House, 2004
