Du Fu: Gongan City, Send Off Master Wei Kuangzan the Second

 

[updated September 2022]

 

Gongan City, Send off Master Wei Kuangzan the Second

 

公 安 送 韦 二 少 府 匡 赞
逍 遥 公 后 世 多 贤
送 尔 维 舟 惜 此 筵。
念 我 能 书 数 字 至
将 诗 不 必 万 人 传!
时 危 兵 革 黄 尘 里
日 短 江 湖 白 发 前。
古 往 今 来 皆 涕 泪
断 肠 分 手 名 风 烟!
Gong An Song Wei Er Shao Fu Kuang Zan

Xiao yao gong hou shi duo xian
Song er wei zhou xi ci yan.
Nian wo neng shu zi zhi
Jiang shi bu bi wan ren chuan!

Shi wei bing ge huang chen li
Ri duan jiang hu bai fa qian.
Gu wang jin lai jie ti lei
Duan chang fen shou ming feng yan!

 

Gongan City, Send off Master Wei Kuangzan the Second

Your able and virtuous great-grandfather was a good man
Value your banquets, to send you off, my small boat secured to your larger one.
When thinking of me, your letters can be just a few words
You do not have to pass on to others my humble poems.

We live in an age of dangerous warfare within the yellow mud
With white hair, my time getting short for being outside the palace.
Throughout former days including now, heavy downfall of tears
Our separating hands bring sorrow, as we each go into the winds and mists of war.

 

Notes:

Gongan City: Located in a county of Hubei Province of the same name.