[updated September 2022]
Received Information From Wei Zhi, He Has Arrived at His Government Position in Tongzhou, Sent Me This Letter About His Job, Sorry You Have These Bad Feelings, I Wrote Four Sections: Section No. 4
(4)
得 微 之 到 官 后 书， 备 知 通 州 之 事， 怅 然 有 感 因 成 四 章
通 州 海 内 恓 惶 地
司 马 人 间 冗 长 官。
伤 鸟 有 弦 惊 不 定
卧 龙 无 谁 动 应 难。
剑 埋 狱 底 谁 深 掘？
松 偃 霜 中 尽 冷 有。
举 目 争 能 不 惆 怅
高 车 大 马 满 长 安。
De De Zhi Dao Guan Hou Shu, Bei Zhi Tong Zhou Zhi Shi, Chang Ran You Gan, Yin Cheng Si Zhang
(4)
Tong zhou hai nei xi huang di
Si ma ren jian rong chang guan.
Shang niao you xian jing bu ding
Wo long wu shei dong ying nan.
Jian mai yu di shei shen jue?
Song yan shuang zhong jin leng kan.
Ju mu zheng neng bu chou chang
Gao che da ma man chang an.
Received Information From Wei Zhi, He Has Arrived at His Government Position in Tongzhou, Sent Me This Letter About His Job, Sorry You Have These Bad Feelings, I Wrote Four Sections: Section No. 4
The Tongzhou region and land are very dangerous
Your Sima official position is redundant and non-critical.
Startled birds not really wounded, loose their calm after seeing the hunter’s bowstrings
Prone dragons without water have some difficulties moving.
Like a buried sword, who can dig deep to uncover you?
Most cold people just look at the tall pine tree that fell upon the frost.
Lift my eyes, cannot see anyone to help the sad and disappointed
Capital city of Chang’an is full of tall fancy carriages and large horses.
Notes:
Sima official position: An assigned job where one has the name of your rank, but with none of the duties and power usually attached to it.
Commentary:
This “Sima official position” looks a lot like the modern version that has been termed “bullshit jobs”. A well-written, well-read book by that term can be found online, or at your favorite bookstore.