Send As a Gift to Zu Yong the Third
赠 祖 三 咏
蟏 蛸 挂 虚 牖
蟋 蟀 鸣 前 除。
岁 晏 凉 风 至
君 子 复 何 如？
高 馆 阒 无 人
离 居 不 可 道。
闲 门 寂 已 闭
落 日 照 秋 草。
虽 有 近 音 信
千 里 阻 河 关。
中 复 客 汝 颖
去 年 归 旧 山。
结 交 二 十 载
不 得 一 日 展。
贫 病 子 既 深
契 阔 余 不 浅。
仲 秋 虽 未 归
暮 秋 以 为 期。
良 会 讵 几 日
终 自 长 相 思！
Zeng Zu San Yong
Xiao shao gua xu you
Xi shuai ming qian chu.
Sui yan liang feng zhi
Jun zi fu he ru ?
Gao guan qu wu ren
Li ju bu ke dao.
Xian men ji yi bi
Luo ri zhao qiu cao.
Sui you jin yin xin
Qian li zu he guan.
Zhong fu ke ru ying
Qu nian gui jiu shan.
Jie jiao er shi zai
Bu de yi ri zhan.
Pin bing zi ji shen
Qi kuo yu bu qian.
Zhong qiu sui wei gui
Mu qiu yi wei qi.
Liang hui ju ji ri
Zhong zi chang xiang si!
Send As a Gift to Zu Yong the Third
[I write this now as a Jizhou government official]
Long-legged spider in the window is a good omen
Chirping crickets on the front steps.
Windy and cool late in the year
How are you doing Mr. Zu?
Quiet tall government building with no people
Unable to describe my being away from home.
So my seldom used one door already closed
Setting sun shines upon the autumn grasses.
Although I have your recent correspondence
You are hundreds of miles away, blocked by a river near a closed mountain pass.
Last letter received, you were a guest of Rufen near the Ying River
Last year you got to return to your hometown.
For twenty years we have been good friends
Not for one day have we had the chance to talk confidently.
This past year you have been ill and impoverished
Still I have also been living a difficult and lonely life.
Although it was Mid-Autumn Days, I could not go home
Hope we can get together in late autumn.
Maybe in a few days we can have a good reunion
To end our long spell of homesickness.
Notes:
Ying River: Largest tributary to the Huai River in Henan Province.
Mid-Autumn Days: Festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Also known as the Moon Festival, it recognizes the full moon and the harvests. Mooncakes and lanterns are part of the festivities.