五言古诗

Five-character-ancient-verse

韦应物

Wei Yingwu

长安遇冯著

ON MEETING MY FRIEND FENG ZHU IN THE CAPITAL

客从东方来,

Out of the east you visit me,

衣上灞陵雨。

With the rain of Baling still on your clothes,

问客何为来?

I ask you what you have come here for;

采山因买斧。

You say: "To buy an ax for cutting wood in the mountains"

冥冥花正开,

...Hidden deep in a haze of blossom,

扬扬燕新乳。

Swallow fledglings chirp at ease

昨别今已春,

As they did when we parted, a year ago....

鬓丝生几缕。

How grey our temples have grown since them!