Given With Respect to Minor Official Wei Zhi
奉 寄 韦 太 守 陟
荒 城 自 萧 索
万 里 山 河 空。
天 高 秋 日 迥
暸 唳 闻 归 鸿。
寒 塘 映 衰 草
高 馆 落 疏 桐。
临 此 岁 方 晏
顾 景 咏 “悲 瓮”。
故 人 不 可 见
寂 寞 平 林 东。
Feng Ji Wei Tai Shou Zhi
Huang cheng zi xiao suo
Wan li shan he kong.
Tian gao qiu ri jiong
Liao li wen gui hong.
Han tang ying shuai cao
Gao guan luo shu tong.
Lin ci sui fang yan
Gu jing yong “Bei Weng”.
Gu ren bu ke jian
Ji mo ping lin dong.
Given With Respect to Minor Official Wei Zhi
Isolated city, feeling deserted and solitary
For thousands of miles, mountains and rivers empty.
Tall autumn skies, everyday far away
Can hear the cries of returning wild geese.
Cold embankments reflect wilted grass
Tall buildings seen though barren paulownia trees.
To face this time, almost at year’s end
Look over the landscape and chant “Old Man of Sorrow”.
Not able to see old friends
Lonely and quiet eastern forest.
Notes:
Wei Zhi: Friend of Wang Wei, exiled for 13 years because his father and a friend of the emperor fought.
“Old Man of Sorrow”: Old and famous song for friends missing each other.