Danmei Society for the Egregious Misuse of Chinese Poetry and Literature

迴車駕言邁
huí chē jià yán mài
[turn] [carriage] [drive] [say] [take step]
I turn the carriage, give the command to go and set off,

悠悠涉長道
yōu yōu shè cháng dào
[long] [long] [wade] [long] [road]
on and on over the endless road.

四顧何茫茫
sì gù hé máng máng
[four] [look] [how] [vast] [vast]
I look around – how boundless and vast!

東風搖百草
dōng fēng yáo bǎi cǎo
[east] [wind] [shake] [hundred] [herb]
The Eastern wind shakes the numerous flora,

所遇無故物
suǒ yù wú gù wù
[that which] [meet] [not have] [old] [thing]
and of all that I encounter, there is nothing of the past.

焉得不速老
yān dé bù sù lǎo
[where] [get] [not] [quick] [old]
In what can we escape the rapid onset of old age?

成衰各有時
chéng shuāi gè yǒu shí
[fulfil] [decline] [each] [have] [time]
Fulfilment and decline each have their time;

立身苦不早
lì shēn kǔ bù zǎo
[set up] [life] [bitter] [not] [early]
as for success in life, how bitter that it does not come sooner!

人生非金石
rén shēng fēi jīn shí
[human] [life] [not] [metal] [stone]
Human life is not set in metal or stone –

豈能長壽考
qǐ néng cháng shòu kǎo
[how can it be] [can] [long] [longevity] [verify]
how can longevity be certain?

奄忽隨物化
yǎn hū suí wù huà
[suddenly] [suddenly] [follow] [thing] [change]
In swiftly following changing things,

榮名以為寶
róng míng yǐ wéi bǎo
[glory] [reputation] [take] [as] [treasure]
glory and reputation are the only treasures.