Admiration and Longing世説新語 企羡第十六
1A-Long is indeed outstanding of himself
王丞相拜司空，桓廷尉作兩髻、葛帬、策杖，路邊窺之，歎曰：「人言阿龍超，阿龍故自超。」不覺至臺門。
When Prime Minister Wang was appointed Minister of Works, Huan the Commandant of Justice tied his hair in two knots, put on a kudzu skirt, took up a staff, and peeped at him from the roadside, and sighed.
"Men say A-Long is outstanding. A-Long is indeed outstanding of himself."
Without noticing it, he had come as far as the gate of the Terrace.
Interlinear notes 1
阿龍，丞相小字。
A-Long was the Prime Minister's childhood name.
2I only long for that time, which can no longer be had
王丞相過江，自說昔在洛水邊，數與裴成公、阮千里諸賢共談道。羊曼曰：「人久以此許卿，何須復爾？」王曰：「亦不言我須此，但欲爾時不可得耳！」
After Prime Minister Wang crossed the river he would tell of how in the old days, by the banks of the Luo, he had often discussed the Way together with Pei Chenggong, Ruan Qianli, and other worthy men.
Yang Man said, "Men have long granted you this. What need is there to say it again?"
Wang said, "It is not that I say I need this. I only long for that time, which can no longer be had."
Interlinear notes 1
欲，一作歎。
For yu (欲) one text reads tan (歎).
3He had a look of great delight when the Lanting ji xu was matched with the Jingu shi xu
王右軍得人以《蘭亭集序》方《金谷詩序》，又以已敵石崇，甚有欣色。
The General of the Right, Wang, found that men matched his Lanting ji xu with the Jingu shi xu and set him up as a match for Shi Chong, and he had a look of great delight.
Interlinear notes 1
王羲之《臨河敘》曰：「永和九年，歲在癸丑，莫春之初，會于會稽山陰之蘭亭，修禊事也。群賢畢至，少長咸集。此地有崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹。又有清流激湍，映帶左右。引以為流觴曲水，列坐其次。是日也，天朗氣清，惠風和暢，娛目騁懷，信可樂也。雖無絲竹管絃之盛，一觴一詠，亦足以暢敘幽情矣。故列序時人，錄其所述。右將軍司馬太原孫丞公等二十六人，賦詩如左，前餘姚令會稽謝勝等十五人，不能賦詩，罰酒各三斗。」
Wang Xizhi's Linhe xu says, "In the ninth year of Yonghe, the year being guichou, at the beginning of the last month of spring, we gathered at the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin of Kuaiji to perform the rite of purification. All the worthy men came, and young and old alike assembled. This place has lofty hills and steep ridges, thick woods and tall bamboo; it has also a clear stream and a rushing rapid, shining and girdling it about on either hand. We drew the water off to make a winding channel for floating cups, and sat in rows along it. On this day the sky was bright and the air was clear, and a kindly wind was mild and free. It delighted the eye and gave rein to the heart, and truly it could be enjoyed. Though there was no abundance of strings and bamboo, of pipes and reeds, one cup and one chant were still enough to unfold our deepest feelings. Therefore we set down in order the men of that day and recorded what they composed. The General of the Right, the sima, Sun Chenggong of Taiyuan, and twenty-six men in all composed poems as set out on the left; the former magistrate of Yuyao, Xie Sheng of Kuaiji, and fifteen men could not compose poems, and were fined three dou of wine each."
4Yuanyuan has only just arrived, and I am still greedy for a few days in his company
王司州先為庾公記室參軍，後取殷浩為長史。始到，庾公欲遣王使下都。王自啟求住曰：「下官希見盛德，淵源始至，猶貪與少日周旋。」
Wang of Sizhou had earlier been Recorder and Adjutant to Lord Yu, and later Yu took Yin Hao and made him Chief Clerk.
When Hao first arrived, Lord Yu was about to send Wang down to the capital on an errand.
Wang made his own petition to stay, saying, "Your humble officer has seldom seen such abundant virtue, and Yuanyuan has only just arrived. I am still greedy for a few days spent in his company."
5Xi Jiabin was greatly pleased when men compared him to Fu Jian
郗嘉賓得人以己比符堅，大喜。
Xi Jiabin found that men compared him to Fu Jian, and he was greatly pleased.
6This is truly a man from among the immortals
孟昶未達時，家在京口。嘗見王恭乘高輿，被鶴氅裘。于時微雪，昶於籬間窺之，歎曰：「此真神仙中人！」
Before Meng Chang had risen in the world, his home was at Jingkou.
He once saw Wang Gong riding in a high carriage and wearing a cloak of crane down.
At that time a light snow was falling, and Chang peeped at him through the hedge and sighed. "This is truly a man from among the immortals."
Interlinear notes 1
《晉安帝紀》曰：「昶字彥達，平昌人。父馥，中護軍。昶矜嚴有志局，少為王恭所知。豫義旗之勳，遷丹陽尹。盧循既下，昶慮事不濟，仰藥而死。」
The Jin Andi ji says, "Chang's courtesy name was Yanda; he was a man of Pingchang. His father Fu was Central Protector of the Army. Chang was proud and stern and had purpose and capacity, and while still young he was known to Wang Gong. He shared in the merit of the righteous banner and was moved to be Governor of Danyang. When Lu Xun had come down, Chang feared the business would not succeed, and he drank poison and died."