You haven't seen the guardians of the nine passes since ancient times, so difficult to be an official that it seemed impossible. One could take office only by grabbing the chance when the autumn wreaths turned yellow, and then traveled the world in simple shoes and cloth dress.
With countless hands grasping at the scales of the dragon, and with countless mouths craving for the pearls from tears, one strives to reach the蓬莱 but is blocked by the weak water. Despite trying seven or ten times, one's hair turned white in vain.
Although one may be lucky enough to be named, there's no guarantee of success. One might fall into the abyss of despair after competing in the selection pit for eighteen out of nine times. Despite writing letters of recommendation with all three books of Guangfan, one's efforts could be in vain if not recognized by a simple letter from a clerk in charge of some specific duties.
Even if a bookish person had wings, he could not make a name for himself without support from senior officials in the court. However, in due season, nature blossoms, as it will; it is not affected by humans' efforts. At the end of the book of Zhongyong, there are eight quotes from poems, and the first three lines indicate what a gentleman should do.
One should keep their status high even if they are concealed like the moon behind clouds. One should strive like lightning to be seen in their best light despite being low on the horizon. The most hidden things are often the most apparent ones, and one should not deceive themselves about their true selves.
The sword appears as a flash of light in between stars like a divine sword or an auspicious mushroom growing without roots on a stone. It is as if lightning appears after a quick burst of rain and snakes come to life when thunder claps are heard at dusk. A profound thought manifests both quietly and in explosive actions, as bright thoughts emerge from hidden places.
The exquisite poems of Yong Ceishi were kept secret before and could only be matched by Wang Xizhi's handwriting on paper. But what makes the work truly outstanding is not just the craftsmanship but also the extraordinary ideas within it. Those ideas are like a five-colored pen that can both mend the sky and save the country. It is like using those ideas to draw a noble beast or ignite a holy flame.
The treasures here are not just stones; they are actual gems. It pains me to see someone hold a gem without realizing its value like Jianhe's pearly white jade. A good merchant would hide their jade in a plain wooden box and sell it at a high price without advertising its value excessively. You are now at the top of calligraphy and you may have believed that just being able to read makes you capable of reaching such heights. However, it is through using literature and art as a path to further yourself that you have achieved success and have earned your place in history. Your abilities are comparable to those who write with great ease like those in the imperial court during Emperor Taizu's reign when prosperity was abundant, such as Fang Da, Du Fu, Wang Wei, and Li He who wrote confidential reports for Emperor Yonghong with great ease while simultaneously being experts in military affairs.
《送丘子正以能书入都并呈徐容斋阎靖轩卢处道集贤翰林三学士》一诗，字里行间洋溢着对友人丘子正的深情厚谊与殷切期望，同时也深刻揭示了古代士人入仕的艰辛与才华展现的不易。
开篇即以“君不见古来九关虎豹守，入仕艰难无不有”直抒胸臆，点出了仕途的艰难险阻，如同虎豹把守的九关，令人望而生畏。随后，“兴能一扎秋槐黄，芒鞋布裙天下走”，描绘了丘子正虽出身平凡，却怀揣梦想，不畏艰难，四处奔波的情景，其坚韧不拔之志跃然纸上。
“攀援龙鳞万万手，咳唾骊珠万万口”，用夸张的手法表现了士子们为求功名，竞相献媚，言辞华丽如骊珠，但真正能脱颖而出者寥寥无几。接着，“蓬莱无路弱水隔，七上十上空白首”，则进一步强调了仕途的渺茫与时间的无情，许多人终其一生也无法实现梦想。
然而，诗人并未因此陷入悲观，而是笔锋一转，“邂逅登名岂不偶，选坑沉沦十八九”，指出即便机会难得，沉沦者众，但仍有人能凭借真才实学脱颖而出。接下来，通过一系列比喻与典故，如“中庸末章八引诗”的引用，以及“斗间有气射古剑，石上无根生瑞芝”等生动描绘，展现了才华与机遇的微妙关系，强调了内在修养与外在表现的重要性。
特别值得一提的是，“禊帖昔秘永禅师，不过纸上王羲之”，诗人借王羲之书法之典，暗示丘子正的书法技艺虽高，但真正的价值在于其胸中的奇才与志向，而非仅仅局限于笔墨之间。随后，“胸中奇者五色笔，可以补天可活国”，更是将丘子正的才华提升到了治国安邦的高度，表达了对友人未来的无限期许。
最后，诗人以“公等翰墨今第一，谁云识字不得力”作为对徐容斋、阎靖轩、卢处道三位学士的赞誉，强调了学识与才华在仕途中的重要作用。同时，“借径文艺以致身，勋名政要无心得”一句，既是对丘子正入仕途径的肯定，也是对所有士子的一种鼓励，即文艺虽为入仕之径，但真正的成就还需在实践中磨砺与积累。
全诗以“九万里迅扶摇风，今日朝廷贞观同。联翩房杜肩王魏，试代常何草封事”作结，既展现了丘子正面临的广阔天地与美好机遇，也寄托了诗人对国家繁荣昌盛、人才辈出的美好愿景。整首诗情感真挚，意境深远，既有对友人的深情祝福，也有对时代风云变幻的深刻洞察，读来令人回味无穷。
