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Li Bai: Seeing a Friend Off (From Chinese)

Li Bai wrote this poem in 754 while saying goodbye to a good friend in Xuanzheng. The Shuiyang River still encircles what remains of the city's east wall.

Seeing a Friend Off
By Li Bai
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Beyond the north wall dark green mountains stretch  
Round the east city the clear white river flows1
Once we two have parted in this place
Lone tumbleweed  has thousands of miles to blow
A drifting cloud: the mind of a traveler     
Sinking sun: the mood of old friends going
We wave our hands taking leave from here
Our hesitant horses  in parting neigh and moan



Notes:
1- Chinese cities were usually protected by two sets of walls: an inner one, made of stone, and an outer rampart made of rammed earth. Kept between these two was enough farmland to keep the town supplied with food in the event of a siege. It was customary for friends to say their goodbyes at the outer rampart.

The Original:

Han Characters

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?????? 		Medieval Chinese

s�ng1b gh�u3b nyen3b
l�3d beik2a

tsheing4 sran2b ghweing2a pek1 kwak1     
beik2a syw�3c ny�u3 tung1b dzyeing3b
tsh�3b dr�3c et3by ghwi3bx bat3bx
kuo1 bung1b m�n3a l�3d tsyeing3b
bou3b ghwen3a you3b ts�3d �3d
lak1 nyet3b k�o1 nyen3b dzeing3b
hwi3a sy�u3b dz�3c tsi3d kh�o3b
sau4 sau4 pan2a m�2 meing3a		 Modern Chinese

S�ng your�n
Lib�i.

Qingshan h�ng bei guo,
B�ishui r�o dongch�ng,
Cid� yi w�i bi�,
Gu p�ng w�n li zheng;
F�y�n y�uzi y�,
Lu�r� g�r�n q�ng,
Huishou z� zi q�,
Xiaoxiao ban mam�ng.
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