A friend who is not firm as a great rock
Is of no profit and idly bears the name.
translated by Arthur Waley
3rd Century B.C.E. Chinese poetry
Another way to say “Carpe diem”: The Graveyard by an anonymous Chinese poet
The graveyard–who makes his home in that land?
Gathered ghosts, wise and foolish alike.
Lord of spirits, why must you hurry us so!
Man’s life allows not a moment of lingering.
translated by Burton Watson
from The Nineteen Old Poems of the Han by Liu Pang: from No. 17
A traveler from afar has come
and brought a missive meant for me:
“I’ll forever think of you,” it opened
and ended “long though we be parted.”
I’ve kept that letter in my sleeve
three years, the words unfading.
That my heart, alone, should cling to such a little thing. . .
My only fear, that you don’t know.
translated by J.P. Seaton
from The Nineteen Old Poems of the Han by Liu Pang: No. 6
I forded the River to pluck the hibiscus,
and in the orchid marsh of many fragrant grasses:
To whom shall I give what I have taken?
The one I think of is on a far-off way;
does he still turn to gaze on his old home?
On the long road the distance slowly grows,
the single heart we share is forced to dwell in two places:
naught but grief and worry as slowly we grow old.
translated by J.P. Seaton
