A Guest Arrives
English translation and interpretation are being reviewed.
但见群鸥日日来。
花径不曾缘客扫，
蓬门今始为君开。
盘飧市远无兼味，
樽酒家贫只旧醅。
肯与邻翁相对饮，
隔篱呼取尽余杯。
English translation
North and south of my house, spring water everywhere, all I see is flock on flock of gulls, coming day by day.
The flower path was never swept for a guest, my bramble gate opens today for you alone.
The market is far, so there is no second dish, the house is poor, and the wine is only home-brewed.
Will you drink with the old man who lives next door? I'll call across the fence, and we'll drain the last cups.
Meaning
North and south of my thatched cottage green water winds and spring stirs; flocks of gulls come flying day after day.
The flower-bordered garden path has never been swept for a guest; only for your coming is my brushwood gate opened for the first time.
The market is far off, so there are no fine dishes in the plate; our house is poor, and only last year's wine is here to offer you.
Gladly would I drink with the old man of the neighbouring house; I call to him across the fence to come and finish the wine in our cups.
Background
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According to Huang He's Supplement to the Collected Thousand Commentaries on Du Fu's Poetic History, this poem was written in the spring of 761 (the second year of the Shangyuan era of Emperor Suzong of Tang), when Du Fu was fifty years old, at his thatched cottage in Chengdu. Du Fu had built a thatched cottage at the head of the Flower-Washing Brook in the western suburbs of Chengdu and settled there for the time being. When his visitor Cui Mingfu called upon him, the poet was in high spirits, and so he composed this poem.