The whole sentence is: genius comes from works, and people do not waste their youth. People should do something meaningful when they are young or in their teens, instead of being limited by etiquette.
The meaning of "romantic" in the old saying is closer to talent than etiquette, which is different from the meaning of "romantic" in modern Chinese. This does not mean blind indulgence or depravity.
Extended data
Zuo Zhuan, the full name of Zuo Zhuan in the Spring and Autumn Period, was originally named Zuo Chunqiu. It was also called Zuozhuan in the Spring and Autumn Period, Biography in the Spring and Autumn Period, Zuozhuan in the Han Dynasty, and Zuozhuan after the Han Dynasty.
According to legend, Zuo Zhuan is a historical book annotated by Zuo Qiuming, a native of Lu, at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. It is also called "Three Biographies of Spring and Autumn Period" together with Biography of Ram and Biography of Gu Liang. It is also China's first detailed chronicle work, with a total of 35 volumes, which is one of the Confucian classics. Moreover, it is the longest of the Thirteen Classics, and it is listed as a classic in Sikuquanshu. The narrative time is from 722 BC to 468 BC.
Zuo Zhuan has a distinct political and moral tendency. Its concept is closer to Confucianism, emphasizing hierarchical order and patriarchal ethics, paying attention to the difference between the old and the young, and also showing the idea of "people-oriented". It can be seen that this is an important ideological progress during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
The author asks the rulers in charge of leading the country not to indulge their selfish desires, but to consider the long-term interests of the whole ruling group and the country they own. These places embody the political ideals of Confucianism. Although Zuo Zhuan is not a literary work, in a broad sense, it is still China's first large-scale narrative work.
Compared with any previous works, its narrative ability shows amazing development. Many complicated and changeable historical events can be handled in an orderly way, which is complicated but not chaotic. Among them, the description of war is particularly excellent.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Zuo Biography in the Spring and Autumn Period