𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗺 ⸙༉

24. I Was Not When You Were Born, You Were Old When I Was Born

(Tang Dynasty) by an unknown writer

I Was Not When You Were Born, You Were Old When I Was Born.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。

I was not when you were born,
You were old when I was born.
You regret that I was late born,
I regret that you were early born.
I was not when you were born,
You were old when I was born.
I wished to have been born together,
We could enjoy our time together.
You were not when I was born,
I was old when you were born.
I was so far away from you,
You were so distant from me.
You were not when I was born,
I was old when you were born.
I’d become a flower-seeking butterfly,
And sleep on the fragrant grass every night.

The poem, with plain language, expresses the author's pity and nostalgia to a much older lover.