Seeing a Friend Off on a Long Journey
May. 8th, 2011 02:28 pmCrossposted to
poetry
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Seeing a Friend Off on a Long Journey
by Du Fu (712-770)
Translated by Keith Holyoak
Why must you go on such a long journey
now when the world is torn apart by wars?
Your friends and family weep to see you leave
this lonely city astride your saddled horse.
The summer's green is gone and snows have come.
The road stays white—travelers shun the course.
The pain of parting did not begin with us—
we learned to weep from the wailing of our ancestors.
by Du Fu (712-770)
Translated by Keith Holyoak
Why must you go on such a long journey
now when the world is torn apart by wars?
Your friends and family weep to see you leave
this lonely city astride your saddled horse.
The summer's green is gone and snows have come.
The road stays white—travelers shun the course.
The pain of parting did not begin with us—
we learned to weep from the wailing of our ancestors.