Bai Juyi: Departing For Suzhou to a City Position, Good-Bye to the Flowers of Eastern Luoyang

 

[updated September 2022]

 

Departing for Suzhou to a City Position, Good-Bye to the Flowers of Eastern Luoyang

 

除 苏 州 剌 史 别 洛 城 东 花
乱 雪 千 花 落
新 丝 两 鬓 生。
老 除 吴 郡 守
春 别 洛 阳 城。
江 上 今 重 去
城 东 更 一 行。
别 花 何 用 伴?
劝 酒 有 残 莺。
Chu Su Zhou La Shi Bie Luo Cheng Dong Hua

Luan xue qian hua luo
Xin si liang bin sheng.
Lao chu wu jun shou
Chun bie luo yang cheng.

Jiang shang jin chong qu
Cheng dong geng yi xing.
Bie hua he yong ban?
Quan jiu you can ying.

 

Departing for Suzhou to a City Position, Good-Bye to the Flowers of Eastern Luoyang

Scattered snow, thousand flowers fall down
New silk-like hair emerges from both temples.
The old like me sent to Wu country or city positions
This spring I depart from Luoyang.

Go back again today to Luoyang upon the river waters
Once more leave these eastern walls.
Why does this departure from these flowers require no accompaniment?
More wine, the orioles have finished their singing.