It comes from "One of Three Poems on Difficult Travels" by Li Bai, a poet of the Tang Dynasty.
The excerpt is as follows:
The journey is difficult! Traveling is difficult! Duoqi Road, where is it now?
There will be times when the wind blows and the waves break, and the cloud sails are hung directly to help the sea.
The translation is as follows:
How difficult the road of life is, how difficult it is, and how complicated it is. Where is the real road?
I firmly believe that the time to ride the wind and waves will definitely come, and by then, we will set sail to sail across the blue sea and blue sky.
Extended information:
In the first year of Tianbao of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty (742), Li Bai came to Beijing according to the imperial edict and served as a minister of Hanlin. Li Bai was originally a person who actively engaged in the world and had high ambitions. He wanted to do great things like Guan Zhong, Zhang Liang, Zhuge Liang and other outstanding figures. However, after entering the capital, he was not reused by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and was slandered and ostracized by powerful officials. Two years later, he was "given money and released" and was driven out of Chang'an in disguise.
Appreciation of the work
This poem has twelve lines and eighty-four words. It can only be regarded as a short story among the seven-character songs, but it dances freely and horizontally. It has a long and powerful format. One of the important reasons is that it reveals the ups and downs and complex changes of the poet's emotions in every possible way.
Through such layered emotional ups and downs, it not only fully demonstrates the obstruction of the dark and dirty political reality to the poet's grand ideals and ambitions, but also reflects the intense depression and anger in the poet's heart caused by this. Depressed and uneven, it also highlights the poet's stubbornness, self-confidence and his persistent pursuit of ideals, and shows the poet's strong spiritual power in trying to break free from depression.
"Traveling is Difficult" is an ancient Yuefu title, often praising the hardships of life and the situation of poverty and loneliness. Li Bai's group of poems "Traveling is Difficult" mainly expresses the feelings of unrecognized talents. The first one is selected here. It is full of heroism in grief and indignation, and still has hope in frustration.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Three Poems on Difficulties in Traveling