Wow, this one is pretty hard. I will try, but don't guarantee my translation and notes are accurate.
八萬 (Having travelled) eighty thousand (Chinese miles*) 遐程 of long distance 燕薊中 (you are now) in Peking and Tianjin.
*A Chinese mile varied between 400 m to 600 m throughout history, and is generally taken to be exactly 500 m for convenience. 80,000 Chinese miles is therefore 40,000 km, about 24,900 miles. This is almost exactly the circumference of the earth.
如雲 As many as the cloud, 弟子 the pupils and apprentices 問 ask 鴻濛 for introductory tutorial.
慣 (You) are used to 除 getting rid of 修蟒 the thin boa 箐風息 to purify the breeze.
屢 For many times 縛 (you) tied up 雄鰌* the fierce, slimy water monster 瘴霧空 (which) polluted the foggy sky.
*Some say 鰌 is a catfish; some say it is an eel. Because of the resemblance with the word 魷, some say it is a squid. I don't know and don't care what it was supposed to be, and just call it a slimy water monster.
靈 Wonderfully effective 藥 medicine 施時 when administrated 回 reverses 物病 the sickness of living things.
玉衡* (Like the) Alioth, 齊後** (you have) set the standard for the later generations 代天工*** and become a substitute of the natural marvel.
*The star at the handle of Big Dipper, scientifically known as Epsilon Ursae Majoris.
**Probably a reference to the legend that 舜「在璿璣玉衡以齊七政」. Ancient Chinese believe that public affairs should be conducted according to the guidance of the stars. The Big Dipper (北斗) is the most important reference of all starts, among which the head star Alioth is the most important one of the most important ones.
***Probably a reference to the Chinese encyclopaedia 《天工開物》, which literally means "Natural Marvels Developed into Things."
幽 Hidden 房 room 剩有 has left a 長生 longevity 訣* secret teaching.
*訣 is a cryptic message passed down from masters to apprentices to protect the privacy of knowledge. In the Taoist tradition, the Chinese usually talked about 長生藥 (the immortality medicine). Here the poem uses the word 訣 to hint that it is a teaching. I think the author 王鐸 /wong4 dok6/ is hinting the gospel.
一笑 With one smile 攏鬚 and a rub on the bread under your chin, 遇 (you) meet 苑風* wind from the garden.
*If a winds blows from the garden, that means you have a visitor coming towards you, as his motion caused the air to move.
Okay~ So, after all these parsing and footnotes, you still have no clue what this poem is trying to say, don't you? Don't worry. It is typical of the old-styled Chinese poems. In the old days, educated people liked to show off their knowledge, and would throw in as many obscure references as possible into a poem, even when they talked only about trivial matters.
Time for a translation of translation!
八萬遐程燕薊中 如雲弟子問鴻濛
You have travelled around the globe to come to China's capital, and have taught many students,
慣除修蟒箐風息 屢縛雄鰌瘴霧空
You managed to repel and subdue the beasts and monsters (meaning his critics).
靈藥施時回物病 玉衡齊後代天工
Your knowledge of medicine and the stars have made you a favorite among our policy makers.
幽房剩有長生訣 一笑攏鬚遇苑風
You still have some tricks up your sleeves, and people will continue to come to you.
What? You still don't get it? Time for a translation of translation of translation!!
八萬遐程燕薊中 如雲弟子問鴻濛
慣除修蟒箐風息 屢縛雄鰌瘴霧空
靈藥施時回物病 玉衡齊後代天工
幽房剩有長生訣 一笑攏鬚遇苑風
The whole poem means "Welcome to China, Johann. Your students and patients love you. Fight off your enemies. Keep teaching medicine and astronomy. Smile, and tell them about the gospels when they come to you!"
八萬 (Having travelled) eighty thousand (Chinese miles*) 遐程 of long distance 燕薊中 (you are now) in Peking and Tianjin.
*A Chinese mile varied between 400 m to 600 m throughout history, and is generally taken to be exactly 500 m for convenience. 80,000 Chinese miles is therefore 40,000 km, about 24,900 miles. This is almost exactly the circumference of the earth.
如雲 As many as the cloud, 弟子 the pupils and apprentices 問 ask 鴻濛 for introductory tutorial.
慣 (You) are used to 除 getting rid of 修蟒 the thin boa 箐風息 to purify the breeze.
屢 For many times 縛 (you) tied up 雄鰌* the fierce, slimy water monster 瘴霧空 (which) polluted the foggy sky.
*Some say 鰌 is a catfish; some say it is an eel. Because of the resemblance with the word 魷, some say it is a squid. I don't know and don't care what it was supposed to be, and just call it a slimy water monster.
靈 Wonderfully effective 藥 medicine 施時 when administrated 回 reverses 物病 the sickness of living things.
玉衡* (Like the) Alioth, 齊後** (you have) set the standard for the later generations 代天工*** and become a substitute of the natural marvel.
*The star at the handle of Big Dipper, scientifically known as Epsilon Ursae Majoris.
**Probably a reference to the legend that 舜「在璿璣玉衡以齊七政」. Ancient Chinese believe that public affairs should be conducted according to the guidance of the stars. The Big Dipper (北斗) is the most important reference of all starts, among which the head star Alioth is the most important one of the most important ones.
***Probably a reference to the Chinese encyclopaedia 《天工開物》, which literally means "Natural Marvels Developed into Things."
幽 Hidden 房 room 剩有 has left a 長生 longevity 訣* secret teaching.
*訣 is a cryptic message passed down from masters to apprentices to protect the privacy of knowledge. In the Taoist tradition, the Chinese usually talked about 長生藥 (the immortality medicine). Here the poem uses the word 訣 to hint that it is a teaching. I think the author 王鐸 /wong4 dok6/ is hinting the gospel.
一笑 With one smile 攏鬚 and a rub on the bread under your chin, 遇 (you) meet 苑風* wind from the garden.
*If a winds blows from the garden, that means you have a visitor coming towards you, as his motion caused the air to move.
Okay~ So, after all these parsing and footnotes, you still have no clue what this poem is trying to say, don't you? Don't worry. It is typical of the old-styled Chinese poems. In the old days, educated people liked to show off their knowledge, and would throw in as many obscure references as possible into a poem, even when they talked only about trivial matters.
Time for a translation of translation!
八萬遐程燕薊中 如雲弟子問鴻濛
You have travelled around the globe to come to China's capital, and have taught many students,
慣除修蟒箐風息 屢縛雄鰌瘴霧空
You managed to repel and subdue the beasts and monsters (meaning his critics).
靈藥施時回物病 玉衡齊後代天工
Your knowledge of medicine and the stars have made you a favorite among our policy makers.
幽房剩有長生訣 一笑攏鬚遇苑風
You still have some tricks up your sleeves, and people will continue to come to you.
What? You still don't get it? Time for a translation of translation of translation!!
八萬遐程燕薊中 如雲弟子問鴻濛
慣除修蟒箐風息 屢縛雄鰌瘴霧空
靈藥施時回物病 玉衡齊後代天工
幽房剩有長生訣 一笑攏鬚遇苑風
The whole poem means "Welcome to China, Johann. Your students and patients love you. Fight off your enemies. Keep teaching medicine and astronomy. Smile, and tell them about the gospels when they come to you!"