Time & Brevity
Resignation
Translated by Arthur Waley (1919) · From More Translations from the Chinese (1919)
Time & Brevity
Keep off your thoughts from things that are past and done;
For thinking of the past wakes regret and pain.
Keep off your thoughts from thinking what will happen;
To think of the future fills one with dismay.
Better by day to sit like a sack in your chair;
Better by night to lie a stone in your bed.
When food comes, then open your mouth;
When sleep comes, then close your eyes.
Cite this poem
MLA
Chü-i, Po. “Resignation.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/110/.
Chicago
Chü-i, Po. “Resignation.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/110/.
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