Top 10 Greatest Poems by the Poet Phan Bội Châu

Roaming and falling, we, the expatriates, endure,
The harsh destiny of the countless masses outside their homeland.
Our lives are like a fleeting moment, as if death awaits at every turn,
Three years of solitude bring us to a spiritual awakening.
Witness to a world that shows little mercy, yet the hero persists,
Though we face despair, a leader's resolve remains unshaken.
Even if the future seems empty and grim,
The mighty warriors of the past were once common folk.

This poem is excerpted from the final section of Phan Bội Châu's 'Letters from Prison.' The poet wrote it to comfort Mai Lão Bạng (1866-1942), a priest who joined the Vietnam Restoration League and was also imprisoned.

Though the spring breeze may have faded, the names of many great scholars live on... Once you’ve enjoyed spring, don’t dwell on trivial matters:
Recite verses that weave through history,
Unite all realms within a single thread.

The poem says:
Hồng Lạc’s waters and mountains endure forever,
The face of a hero will never bow!
Our land will remain, painted in the spirit of men,
In times of prosperity, it must change with the times.
On spring’s arrival, maybe it’s easy to say,
Conquer the world with just a small gesture!
With force, shatter the heavens and earth,
And paint the spring once more on our homeland!

Before 1905

Source: Chương Thâu, Phan Bội Châu Complete Works (Volume 1), Thuận Hoá Publishing House, 1990, pp. 237-238; cited from Đặng Thai Mai, Phan Bội Châu’s Literature and Poetry, Văn hoá Publishing House, Hanoi, 1959, pp. 113

After three failed attempts,
One discovers the cure.
After battling hundreds of times,
One realizes the value of a skilled commander.
If there were no failures,
How could there be success?
Throughout history, heroes
Were once defeated before triumph.
Lost a game? Learn from the mistake,
Carefully plan, and success will follow.
Though the path is rocky,
The storms may rage,
Over mountains and through valleys,
The journey is full of trials.
When you stumble upon obstacles,
You’re a craftsman paving the way.
Wrong turns lead to lessons,
And the teacher shows the way.
The more failures you encounter,
The closer you get to success.
So do not lose heart,
But remain steadfast.
If you fall, get back up,
The distance is never too far.
Paddle on, you’ll reach the shore,
And see how strong your spirit is.

Sầm Sơn's view is so mesmerizing, it's hard to leave,
The Bồng Lai area is equally enchanting.
Endless green hills and trees covering the land,
The vast ocean mirrors the sky with its endless waves.
The boatman tirelessly rows the boat,
While the woman on the shore plays with carefree joy.
The landscape, though unchanged, still brings memories,
And the grief of times past lingers, hard to ignore.

In 1902, during his trip north to meet with his comrades, Phan Bội Châu visited Sầm Sơn beach in Thanh Hoá, where he composed this poem. The poem was shared by Nguyễn Văn Lan, a 79-year-old resident of Nam Hòa, Nam Đàn, Nghệ Tĩnh, in 1967.

Source: Chương Thâu, Phan Bội Châu Complete Works (Volume 1), Thuận Hoá Publishing House, 1990, page 236

Đoàn Tử Quang, in his 82nd year, continued to take the Imperial Examination in 1900 during the Canh Tý year. Despite his age, he persevered and passed, fulfilling his elderly mother's wishes. The following year, he was appointed as a county education officer. During a time when most officials retired at 65, Đoàn was specially selected by the emperor for his lifelong dedication to learning. His perseverance was acknowledged, and his achievement was celebrated. In the 1900 exam, Phan Bội Châu emerged as the top scorer, and gifted Đoàn a poem in recognition of his accomplishments.

Source: Chương Thâu, Phan Bội Châu’s Collected Works (Volume 1), Thuận Hoá Publishing House, 1990, p. 235; Poem by Đầu xứ Hùng (Nguyễn Mộng Lý), with reference to Hồng Lam’s article “The Tale of Examinations” in Minh Tân magazine, issue 28, August 25, 1964.

The mist gently rises, the stones stand firm,
It seems as though, thinking of someone, we stand at Cam Son.
The roads twist and turn, far beyond the horizon,
Yet, the heart of the wise finds solace in this place.
To the west, the winds and moon seem eternal,
In the south, the mountains and rivers fade into dreams,
Where can the essence of Tao be found?
The sound of the bell echoes, as the music graces the meditative realm.

In 1890, during the 2nd year of Thanh Thai's reign, Phan Boi Chau traveled to Ha Tinh, visiting Cam Son, also known as Nui Nai (located in Dai Nai Commune, Thach Ha District). This was the place where Nguyen Cong Tru (1778-1858) spent his old age over 30 years earlier. Before leaving, he wrote this poem.

Source: Chuong Thau, Phan Boi Chau's Complete Works (Volume 1), Thuan Hoa Publishing House, 1990, p. 183; referenced from Hong Lien, Le Xuan Giao, Hy Van's Biography, Ministry of Culture, Education and Youth Publishing House, Saigon, 1973, p. 83-84

Thời thế xui nên giả vợ chồng,
Lấy anh chưa dễ đã nằm chung,
Ừ chơi, coi nó toi đồng bạc,
Há chịu cho ai nếm má hồng!
Cười gượng lắm khi che nửa mặt,
Khóc thầm vì nỗi khác hai lòng.
Bao giờ duyên mới thay duyên cũ,
Thoả thuận cùng nhau tát bể đông!

Năm 1925, Phan Bội Châu bị bắt giải về Hà Nội và kết án tử hình, nhưng được ân xá và đưa về giam lỏng ở Huế. Ở đây, ông hay xuống nằm nghỉ mát trên một chiếc thuyền con neo dưới gốc cây sung đầu cầu Bến Ngự. Nhân thoáng nghe một cô lái đò đậu gần đó hát “Ăn sung nằm gốc cây sung, Lấy anh thì lấy nằm chung không nằm”, ông cao hứng làm bài thơ này để nói lên tình cảnh cô gái Việt bị ép duyên với anh chồng Pháp.

Nguồn: Triệu Xuân, Vũ Bằng toàn tập (tập 4), NXB Văn học, 2006

Farewell Before Departing
Born a man, I must hope for something extraordinary,
Should I simply let the heavens and earth turn on their own?
In this fleeting century, there must be room for me,
Must there be no one in a thousand years to leave a legacy?
The country may fall, but living in disgrace is not worth it,
Even the wise and saints are gone, reading is but folly!
I hope to chase the long winds across the East Sea,
With waves of silver rising together in flight.

Translation
Born as a man, it is my duty to aspire for the remarkable,
How could I stand by as the world moves of its own accord?
In this brief time, surely there is a place for me,
How could the future not have anyone to make their mark?
The nation may fall, but living in shame is no life,
Even with the absence of sages, what is the use of reading books?
I wish to follow the long winds over the Eastern Sea,
With waves of silver soaring side by side.

This poem was written by Phan Boi Chau on the 2nd of January, 1905, when he departed from Haiphong Port to bid farewell to his comrades before heading to Japan. Later, he included this poem in his book 'Nguc Trung Thu'.

Source:
1. The Works of Phan Boi Chau, Literary Publishing House, 1965
2. Nguyen Hien Le, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc - Chapter 2, Cultural Information Publishing House, 2004

Still a hero, still full of charm,
Run till exhausted, then rest in prison.
Without a home in the vast world,
Now a criminal among the continents.
Embrace the economic hardships tight,
Laughing through the end of grievances.
While my body remains, so does my career,
What dangers to fear, when the mission is clear.

This poem was written at the beginning of 1914, during the time when the author was imprisoned by the Guangdong warlord (China), as a form of self-comfort. The poem is taken from the final section of 'Letters from Prison,' with the title added later by others.

Source: Patriotic and Revolutionary Literature of the Early 20th Century, NXB Văn học, 1976

Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!
The crowing of a rooster marks the start,
The birds in the trees greet the new day.
Spring, oh spring, do you know its arrival?
Saddened by the river, ashamed with the mountains, humbled by the moon,
Two decades have passed with both sorrow and regret.
Fortune still grants us life despite the pain,
Through the days, the youth find joy.
To the young ladies, gentlemen, and brothers,
The heavens are new, and so must we be.
Open your eyes, clearly see the new age,
Step forward to shoulder the weight of the old world.
Move with grace, stand firm, and have courage,
Bind together and make the future our own.
Whoever has the wisdom, from now on, may you strive,
Let go of the past and strengthen your spirit.
We don't care for play, don't care for clothes, nor food,
We forge our hearts with iron to move mountains and fill seas,
Wash away the stains of enslavement with our warm blood.
This is the true newness, comrades,
The saying goes, “Each day is new, and each day is renewed.”

In early 1927, students from the National School and the Catholic School of Huế visited Phan Bội Châu to celebrate his 60th birthday. This poem was his reply. The full poem was published in the New Century newspaper on February 3, 1927.

This poem was once included in the Literature textbook for grade 11 from 1990-2006 but was omitted in the 2007 version.