離思五首·其四

“Parting Thoughts,” No. 4

曾經滄海難爲水，除卻巫山不是雲。
取次花叢懶回顧，半緣修道半緣君。

Having been to the vast blue sea, it is difficult for water to come up to my expectation.

Apart from clouds over Mount Wu, those existing elsewhere are simply not clouds.

Hastily I pass through the flowering shrubs, reluctant even to look back,

Partly because of my Daoist cultivation, and partly because of you.