Rumi مولانا جلال‌الدین

Su Shi 蘇軾

Mid-Autumn Festival, 1076 · Song China · After drinking all night and getting very drunk, thinking of the brother he had not seen in seven years

People have sorrow and joy, parting and reunion. The moon has cloud and clear, full and waning. These things have never been perfect since ancient times. I only wish that you may live long, and that we may share this moon a thousand miles apart.

人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。 但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。

To the tune "Prelude to the Water Melody"

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Su Zhe 蘇轍

Mid-Autumn Festival, 1077 · Northern Song China · The year after his brother wrote his song of longing for him under the moon, at the first Mid-Autumn the two had spent together in seven years

How long we have been apart: seven Mid-Autumns have gone by. Last year, on this night at Dongwu, the bright moon was more sorrow than could be borne.

離別一何久，七度過中秋。 去年東武今夕，明月不勝愁。

To the tune "Prelude to the Water Melody": Mid-Autumn at Xuzhou

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Du Fu 杜甫

756 · Tang China · Held in rebel-occupied Chang'an during the war

Tonight the moon over Fuzhou: she will be watching it alone from her room. Far away, I ache for my little sons and daughters, too young to know to think of Chang'an.

今夜鄜州月，閨中只獨看。 遙憐小兒女，未解憶長安。

"Moonlit Night," in the Complete Tang Poems

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Du Fu 杜甫

757 · Tang China

The beacon fires have burned for three months on end. A letter from home is worth ten thousand in gold.

烽火連三月，家書抵萬金。

"Spring View," in the Complete Tang Poems

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Sin Heum 申欽

early 17th century · Joseon Korea

A rustling outside the window: is it you? I got up to look. On the path where the orchids grow, what are fallen leaves doing? Ah, this heart of mine has its limits, and I fear it will break right through.

창 밧긔 워석버석 님이신가 니러 보니 혜란(蕙蘭) 혜경(蹊徑)에 낙엽은 므스 일고 어즈버 유한(有限)ᄒᆞᆫ 간장(肝腸)이 다 그츨가 ᄒᆞ노라

A sijo, in Cheonggu yeongeon

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Han Yongun 韓龍雲

1926 · Hongseong, Korea

As we fear parting when we meet, so we believe, when we part, that we shall meet again. Ah, my love has gone, but I have not sent my love away.

우리는 맛날ᄯᅢ에 ᄯᅥ날것을염녀하는것과가티 ᄯᅥ날ᄯᅢ에 다시맛날것을 밋슴니다 아々 님은갓지마는 나는 님을보내지 아니하얏슴니다

"The Silence of My Love" (Nim ui chimmuk), in the collection of the same name

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Kalidasa कालिदास

c. 4th–5th century · Gupta India

On Rama's shady peak where hermits roam, Mid streams by Sita's bathing sanctified, An erring Yaksha made his hapless home, Doomed by his master humbly to abide, And spend a long, long year of absence from his bride.

The Cloud Messenger (Meghaduta), the first stanza · in place of the original: the English translation by Arthur W. Ryder (1912)

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