University of Virginia Library

七言律詩 白居易 自河南經亂,關內阻饑,兄弟離散,各在一處。因望月有感,聊書所懷,寄上浮梁大兄,於潛七兄,烏江十五兄,兼示符離及下邽弟妹。

時難年荒世業空, 弟兄羈旅各西東。
田園寥落干戈後, 骨肉流離道路中。
弔影分為千里雁, 辭根散作九秋蓬。
共看明月應垂淚, 一夜鄉心五處同。

Seven-character-regular-verse
Bai Juyi TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ADRIFT
IN TROUBLED TIMES THIS POEM OF THE MOON

Since the disorders in Henan and the famine in Guannei, my brothers and sisters have been scattered. Looking at the moon, I express my thoughts in this poem, which I send to my eldest brother at Fuliang, my seventh brother at Yuqian, My fifteen brother at Wujiang and my younger brothers and sisters at Fuli and Xiagui.

My heritage lost through disorder and famine,
My brothers and sisters flung eastward and westward,
My fields and gardens wrecked by the war,
My own flesh and blood become scum of the street,
I moan to my shadow like a lone-wandering wildgoose,
I am torn from my root like a water-plant in autumn:
I gaze at the moon, and my tears run down
For hearts, in five places, all sick with one wish.