Grand Erudite Choe Having Answered in Kind Again, I Follow the Rhymes and Respectfully Reply崔大博復和。依韻奉答。

Loath to follow sly merchants and be foolishly gulled, I withdrew and swept out empty attachments, as wind rolls the leaves away. Blankly, having lost his mate, Ziqi (子綦) sighs, and as though no one were there Wu Zhi (吳質) glances sidelong. To know beforehand is only to look for the ants that stop their hole, and waking alone I take no part in drinking drunk on the lees. Of late I am clear and lean, my bones standing out like jade, and on my night couch I vainly mourn the moths that rush the lamp. Suddenly a whipping piece came and roused me, and I sweep once more the shaded green moss of an abandoned well. The source is shallow and no numinous thing has lodged there, yet still I let down a short well-rope and draw up what is old. My thanks that the Duke has a mind to recommend one osprey, and does not mind that his great hand be soiled on my account. Once I am spared the wearing of the drummer's cap (岑牟) and have dressed at leisure, only on taking up the drumstick do I at last see Duke Cao's (曹公) smile. To have my name hung upon your brush is indeed worth boasting of, but my talent is not Zhengping's (正平), and it only calls down blame. Nothing is better than to meet and unknit our brows at once, to talk of our feeling and of old days and send the crowd of boys away. I shall dance a sword like the essence of stars, the soul of lightning, and sing your poems like the moon's flank and the mind of heaven. In a fine place of mist and cloud we shall spread a splendid mat, and if there is wine there is no need to refuse a brimming cup. Why should anyone doubt that your frame of bone is noble? In due time you should one day hold the jade scepters (圭璋) and make return. One like me ought to be left among the rivers and lakes, drunk and asleep beneath a straw cape, not rising though he be called. Will you then still remember your old acquaintance? In my dreams I shall only be facing the blue hat-strings.