[updated October 2022]
Send to Mid-Level Cartographer Liu
寄 职 方 刘 郎 中
相 闻 二 十 载
不 得 展 平 生。
一 旦 南 宫 遇
聊 用 写 中 情。
端 服 光 朝 次
群 列 慕 英 声。
归 来 坐 粉 围
挥 笔 乃 纵 横。
始 陪 文 翰 游
欢 燕 难 久 并。
予 因 谬 忝 出
君 为 沉 疾 婴。
别 离 寒 暑 过
荏 苒 春 草 生。
故 园 兹 日 隔
新 禽 池 上 鸣。
郡 中 永 无 事
归 思 徒 自 盈。
Qi Zhi Fang Liu Lang Zhong
Xiang wen er shi zai
Bu dei zhan ping sheng.
Yi dan nan gong yu
Liao yong xie zhong qing.
Duan fu guang zhao ci
Qun lie mu ying sheng.
Gui lai zuo fen wei
Hui bi nai zong heng.
Shi pei wen han you
Huan yan nan jiu bing.
Yu yin miu tian chu
Jun wei chen ji ying.
Bie li han shu guo
Ren ran chun cao sheng.
Gu yuan zi ri ge
Xin qin chi shang ming.
Jun zhong yong wu shi
Gui si tu zi ying.
Send to Mid-Level Cartographer Liu
Have heard about you for twenty years
Most of my life not able to meet you face to face.
One dawn we met in the southern palaces
We used this time to write of our emotions.
We wore our finest for the dawn imperial audiences
Groups of officials lined up to hear your heroic voice.
Later you returned to sit in your fancy office
Only then did you command your writing brush with ease.
These written characters were associated with culture and poetry
Side by side and for a long time we were happy.
Because of my mistakes I have been sent away into the provinces
While you have been sickly and room bound.
Through hot and cold seasons we have been apart
The times of emerging spring grasses have slipped by.
Our time in a garden seems so far away
Above the pond the chirping of baby birds.
These prefecture affairs and tasks always handled too easily
Think of our return to our hometowns.