[updated September 2022]
Compelled to Travel, Send As a Gift to Bi Yao
偪 侧 行 赠 毕 曜
偪 侧 何 偪 侧
我 居 巷 南 子 巷 北。
可 怜 邻 里 间
十 日 不 一 见 颜 色。
自 从 官 马 送 还 官
行 路 难 行 涩 如 棘。
我 贫 无 乘 非 无 足
昔 者 相 过 今 不 得。
不 是 爱 微 躯
非 关 足 无 力。
徒 步 翻 愁 官 长 怒
此 心 炯 炯 君 应 识。
晓 来 急 雨 春 风 颠
睡 美 不 闻 钟 鼓 传。
东 家 蹇 驴 许 借 我
泥 滑 不 敢 骑 朝 天。
已 令 请 急 会 通 籍
男 儿 性 命 绝 可 怜。
焉 能 终 日 心 拳 拳
忆 君 诵 诗 神 凛 然。
辛 夷 始 花 又 已 落
况 我 与 子 非 壮 年。
街 头 酒 价 常 苦 贵
方 外 酒 徒 稀 醉 眠。
速 宜 相 就 钦 一 斗
恰 有 三 百 青 铜 钱！
Bi Ce Xing Zeng Bi Yao
Bi ce he bi ce
Wo ju xiang nan zi xiang bei.
Ke lian lin li jian
Shi ri bu yi jian yan se.
Zi cong guan ma song huan guan
Xing lu nan xing se ru ji.
Wo pin wu cheng fei wu zu
Xi zhe xiang guo jin bu de.
Bu shi ai wei qu
Fei guan zu wu li.
Tu bu fan chou guan chang nu
Ci xin jiong jiong jun ying shi.
Xiao lai ji yu chun feng dian
Shui mei bu wen zhong gu chuan.
Dong jia jian lu xu jie wo
Ni hua bu gan qi zhao tian.
Yi ling qing ji hui tong ji
Nan er xing ming jue ke lian.
Yan neng zhong ri xin quan quan
Yi jun song shi shen lin ran.
Xin yi shi hua you yi luo
Kuang wo yu zi fei zhuang nian.
Jie tou jiu jia chang ku gui
Fang wai jiu tu xi zui mian.
Su yi xiang jiu qin yi dou
Qia you san bai qing tong qian!
Compelled to Travel, Send As a Gift to Bi Yao
We are closer than close to each other
I live in the southern narrow alleys, and you in the northern ones.
Poor us, so close together in location
Yet for ten days not see each other’s face.
Naturally as a minor official I had to return my horse to the government
Walking the rough and difficult roads like walking on thorns.
I am so poor, I am without any kind of riding or carrying device
For now I cannot pass by your house, such shame as I have to walk.
My body experiences very little tranquility
It is not that my feet are lacking power that I do not see you.
Pass by angry people who cannot believe a government official has to walk
You know my heart-mind still bright and shiny.
Dawn arrives, sudden spring winds and rain squalls
Sleep in too well, did not hear the wake-up bells and drums.
Landlord lent to me a half-lame donkey
Under a dawn sky, slippery mud fearful for both the donkey and I.
Already requested one day off from work
This official’s temperament and destiny pitiful and desperate.
You are so earnest and sincere, heart-mind able to work all day long
Recall your read-aloud poems still divine and awe inspiring.
Tulips begin to blossom, already so soon fell down
Our conditions may not improve as the year passes.
Suffer from the street-corner wine vendors charging so much
My hermit friends also do not have enough wine to get drunk and sleep.
Quickly let’s get one decaliter and drink it together
I still have three hundred green copper coins!