送友人 - what does this poem mean?

[Junior]

Could someone please help me to understand this poem... At the end I've included an explanation in Chinese which may help (I can't really understand it still)...

送友人

青山横北国， 白水绕东城。

此地一为别， 孤蓬万里征。

浮云游子意， 落日故人情。

挥手自兹去， 萧萧斑马鸣。

ok, and the explanation...

青翠的山脉横亘在北边的城外，自色的水波绕过东边的城下。

我们在这儿分手之后，你就要像蓬草一样，孤单地万里飘泊了。

游子的心，有如天上的浮云，在此地流连， 合不得离去，而我俩的友情，又像落日一样，虽然美好， 却马上要被分离悲伤掩盖了。

且挥挥手，去吧！你听，离群的马儿也嘶嘶地哀鸣呢！

Thanks

[liuzhou]

There are translations here (both literal and literary).

Also Ezra Pound "translated" the poem. However he was known for his rather free translations. Here is his version.

Farewell To A Friend

Blue mountains to the north of the walls,

White river winding about them;

Here we must make separation

And go out through a thousand miles of dead grass.

Mind like a floating wide cloud,

Sunset like the parting of old acquaintances

Who bow over their clasped hands at a distance.

Our horses neigh to each others

as we are departing.

[Junior]

That's great! Thanks Liuzhou!!!

[ananda]

Junior, your chinese is quite senior.

The best comment about this poem in chinese I think is this one:

http://www.literature.idv.tw/bbs/Topic.asp?topic_id=310&forum_id=86&cat_id=13[/url]

[pfff]

Word for word from

http://chinese-poems.com/lb15.html

Green hill across north wall

White water coil east city

This place one do parting

Lone ?tumbleweed? ten thousand li journey

Drift clouds traveller thought

Set sun old friend feeling

Wave hand from this go

Neigh part horse call

Translated expanded version from ananda's link:

Green mountains line up facing the north of the city,

Ripples shine on clear flowing water winding in the east of the city, splashing along.

We ride horses to the outside of the city, shake hands and say goodbye,

You're like solitary ?fallen grass?, moving with the wind, twisting and blowing along for thousands of miles.

A traveller's thoughts are like the floating movement of the clouds in the sky,

The remaining light of the setting sun gradually falls, emphasising our precious friendship.

Again and again waving to you, giving my regards as you leave here,

My horse too, with deep feeling, neighs in sorrow at your departure.

青翠的山峦横亘在城外的北面，波光粼粼的流水绕城东潺潺淌过。

我们骑着马走到城外握手言别，你像孤蓬草般随风飞转远行万里。

游子的心思恰似天上浮云飘动，夕阳馀晖徐徐缓落更添难舍友情。

频频的对你挥手致意从此离别，马儿也深情地爲惜别而声声嘶鸣。

There's some confusion over the meaning of ?孤蓬?. the mast of a boat, or a bit of plant.

孤蓬：蓬，蓬蒿，秋天枯萎时常为风所拔起。孤蓬比喻离散而独自一人。

孤蓬：孤舟

孤蓬：蓬本指蓬草，如飞蓬、旋蓬、飘蓬，但孤蓬应指船未升帆，那几支桅杆与

蓬草相似，言其脆弱，所以孤蓬应指孤帆、孤舟。

Here's a bit from my dictionary:

蓬(péng) 1.飞蓬 fleabane, a perenial herb with white flowers and willow-like leaves, bearing hairy seeds and fruits.

2. fluffy;dishevelled: 蓬头散发 with dishevelled hair/ 乱蓬蓬的茅草 fluffy and disorderly grasses [蓬松] (of hair and grasses) fluffy; puffy [蓬勃] vigorous; flourishing

what a nice word.

[skylee]

Not 北國. Should be 北郭, the outer city wall to the north.