君生我未生,我生君已老
君恨我生迟,我恨君生早
君生我未生,我生君已老
恨不生同时,日日与君好
我生君未生,君生我已老
我离君天涯,君隔我海角
我生君未生,君生我已老
化蝶去寻花,夜夜栖芳草
When you were born, I was yet unborn.
When I was born, you were already old.
You lament that I was born too late.
I lament that you were born too early.
When you were born, I was yet unborn.
When I was born, you were already old.
I lament that we were not born together,
Or I would be with you every single day.
When I was born, you were yet unborn.
When you were born, I was already old.
I am far away from you as the end of the earth,
You are far away from me as the edge of the ocean.
When I was born, you were yet unborn.
When you were born, I was already old.
I’d like to turn into a butterfly and look for my flower,
Yet every night, I’m only accompanied by small grasses.
— From Tang Dynasty (608-916)