[If] not for loving flowers, [then it will be] longing till death,
Only afraid that flowers are a reminder of old age.
[Flowers on] luxuriant branches easily descends one after another, (All flowers bloom so brilliantly so that when time passes by they can urgently descend to the ground)
[I want to] discuss with budding flowers to open little by little. (If so, then I would like to discuss with the budding flowers, is it possible to bloom a little slower)
不是爱花即肯死，只恐花尽老相催。
繁枝容易纷纷落，嫩蕊商量细细开。
Du Fu actually wrote a set of seven poems under the same title, and the lines comes from the final one of them, number seven of seven.
The first poem speaks of enjoying the view of flowers alone is due to being annoyed by the flowers; the second poem speaks of the many flowers seen by the riverside; the third poem speaks of how a particular family’s flowers are richly red and white, and how busy they are to attend to all of them; the fourth poem describes overlooking a small town of flowers, thinking of people’s joy over the flowers blooming; the fifth poem speaks of the plum blossoms in front of the Huang Shi Tower; the sixth poem speaks of Huang Si Niang (the poet’s neighbour)’s home filled with flowers; and the seventh poem summarises his admiring of flowers, love for flowers, cherishing of flowers.
Classical Chinese poetry thrives on Concision and Ambiguity. Without tense or number, the words create a timeless space where the reader becomes the co-creator of the poem's meaning.
Look for Contrasts: light and shadow, movement and stillness. Don't just translate the words; feel the Yijing (artistic conception) that lingers long after the last character.
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