Eastern Mountain
by Frank Watson
I left for Eastern Mountain,
And long I did not return.
Now I come back from the east,
Beshrouded in drizzling rain.

In the east they said we could return,
My heart in western sorrow;
They made us beautiful clothing
And did not whip us any longer.
Silkworms curled about
Along the mulberry field;
They rested alone
Beneath our carriage floor.

I left for Eastern Mountain,
And long I did not return.
Now I come back from the east,
Beshrouded in drizzling rain.

I carried betel seeds
And brought them to my house;
A spider lives there
And spins her web by the door.
Our village fields are open wide
And deer shine bright on their nightly walks;
I must not fear,
Yet this I hold in my heart.

I left for Eastern Mountain,
And long I did not return.
Now I come back from the east,
Beshrouded in drizzling rain.

The crane cries on a hill,
My wife sighs at home;
The drizzle clears the sky
And I journey, to arrive at home;
There are bitter plants and wood
For fire from chestnut trees.
How long we couldn’t meet—
Alas! For three years now.

I left for Eastern Mountain,
And long I did not return.
Now I come back from the east,
Beshrouded in drizzling rain.

How they fly to heaven,
Their feathers shining bright;
My daughter is to marry,
Carried on a speckled horse.
Her mother ties her bridal veil
And the ceremony is held.
This new life is so joyful
And where is the life I had?


Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
東山
东山
dōng shān



我徂東山，
我徂东山，
wǒ cú dōng shān ，
慆慆不歸。
慆慆不归。
tāo tāo bù guī 。
我來自東，
我来自东，
wǒ lái zì dōng ，
零雨其蒙。
零雨其蒙。
líng yǔ qí mēng 。
我東曰歸，
我东曰归，
wǒ dōng yuē guī ，
我心西悲。
我心西悲。
wǒ xīn xī bēi 。
制彼裳衣，
制彼裳衣，
zhì bǐ cháng yī ，
勿士行枚。
勿士行枚。
wù shì xíng méi 。
蜎蜎者蠋，
蜎蜎者蠋，
yuān yuān zhě zhú ，
烝在桑野。
烝在桑野。
zhēng zài sāng yě 。
敦彼獨宿，
敦彼独宿，
dūn bǐ dú sù ，
亦在車下。
亦在车下。
yì zài chē xià 。
我徂東山，
我徂东山，
wǒ cú dōng shān ，
慆慆不歸。
慆慆不归。
tāo tāo bù guī 。
我來自東，
我来自东，
wǒ lái zì dōng ，
零雨其蒙。
零雨其蒙。
líng yǔ qí mēng 。
果臝之實，
果臝之实，
guǒ luǒ zhī shí ，
亦施於宇。
亦施于宇。
yì shī yú yǔ 。
伊威在室，
伊威在室，
yī wēi zài shì ，
蠨蛸在戶。
蠨蛸在户。
xiāo xiāo zài hù 。
町疃鹿場，
町疃鹿场，
tǐng tuǎn lù cháng ，
熠耀宵行。
熠耀宵行。
yì yào xiāo xíng 。
不可畏也，
不可畏也，
bù kě wèi yě ，
伊可懷也。
伊可怀也。
yī kě huái yě 。
我徂東山，
我徂东山，
wǒ cú dōng shān ，
慆慆不歸。
慆慆不归。
tāo tāo bù guī 。
我來自東，
我来自东，
wǒ lái zì dōng ，
零雨其蒙。
零雨其蒙。
líng yǔ qí mēng 。
鸛鳴於垤，
鹳鸣于垤，
guàn míng yú dié ，
婦嘆於室。
妇叹于室。
fù tàn yú shì 。
灑掃穹窒，
洒扫穹窒，
sǎ sǎo qióng zhì ，
我征聿至。
我征聿至。
wǒ zhēng yù zhì 。
有敦瓜苦，
有敦瓜苦，
yǒu dūn guā kǔ ，
烝在栗薪。
烝在栗薪。
zhēng zài lì xīn 。
自我不見，
自我不见，
zì wǒ bù jiàn ，
於今三年。
于今三年。
yú jīn sān nián 。
我徂東山，
我徂东山，
wǒ cú dōng shān ，
慆慆不歸。
慆慆不归。
tāo tāo bù guī 。
我來自東，
我来自东，
wǒ lái zì dōng ，
零雨其蒙。
零雨其蒙。
líng yǔ qí mēng 。
倉庚於飛，
仓庚于飞，
cāng gēng yú fēi ，
熠耀其羽。
熠耀其羽。
yì yào qí yǔ 。
之子於歸，
之子于归，
zhī zǐ yú guī ，
皇駁其馬。
皇驳其马。
huáng bó qí mǎ 。
親結其縭，
亲结其缡，
qīn jié qí lí ，
九十其儀。
九十其仪。
jiǔ shí qí yí 。
其新孔嘉，
其新孔嘉，
qí xīn kǒng jiā ，
其舊如之何？
其旧如之何？
qí jiù rú zhī hé？


Translation Notes

Anonymous, from the Classic of Poetry.

東山
Eastern Mountain


我徂東山，
I go/reach eastern mountain,
慆慆不歸。
Excessive excessive no return.
[Excessive excessive = ancient, faraway]
我來自東，
I come from eastward,
零雨其蒙。
Fragment rain its cover/suffer-misfortune.
我東曰歸，
I east speak return-to,
我心西悲。
My heart western sorrow.
制彼裳衣，
System/control those beautiful clothes,
勿士行枚。
Do-not gentleman walk whip.
蜎蜎者蠋，
Mosquito-larva mosquito-larva that-which caterpillar,
[Mosquito-larva mosquito-larva  = insect curled up]
[Caterpillar = caterpillar, mulberry tree silkworm]
烝在桑野。
Rise be-at mulberry-tree field.
[Rise = to put]
敦彼獨宿，
Esteem that solitary rest,
亦在車下。
Also be-at cart under.
我徂東山，
I go eastern mountain,
慆慆不歸。
Far faraway no return.
我來自東，
I come self east,
零雨其蒙。
Fragment rain its cover/suffer-misfortune.
果臝之實，
Fruit betel ’s seed/fruit
[Betel = melon betel, a kind of pepper]
亦施於宇。
Also carries to house.
伊威在室，
She/he powerful at house,
蠨蛸在戶。
Spider long-legged-spider a door.
町疃鹿場，
Raised-path-between-fields village deer open-space,
熠耀宵行。
Bright-and-sparkling shine night walk.
不可畏也，
No can fear also,
[No can = cannot]
伊可懷也。
She/he may carry-in-bosom also.
我徂東山，
I go eastern mountain,
慆慆不歸。
Far faraway no return.
我來自東，
I come self eastward,
零雨其蒙。
Fragment rain its cover.
鸛鳴於垤，
Crane cry-of-bird at/ah! hill,
婦嘆於室。
Wife sighs at home.
灑掃穹窒，
Sprinkle clear-away sky obstruct,
我征聿至。
I journey and-then arrive.
有敦瓜苦，
Have honest melon bitter,
烝在栗薪。
Rise/put at chestnut-tree firewood.
自我不見，
Self my no see,
[Self my = myself, self-, ego]
[No see = not meet]
於今三年。
Alas! now three years.
我徂東山，
I go eastern mountain,
慆慆不歸。
Far faraway no return.
我來自東，
I come self eastern,
零雨其蒙。
Fragment rain its covered.
倉庚於飛，
Granary 7th-heavenly-stem at fly,
熠耀其羽。
Bright-and-sparkling shine its feather.
之子於歸，
His daughter to to-marry,
皇駁其馬。
Imperial varicolored/ship his horse.
親結其縭，
Parents tie her bridal-veil,
九十其儀。
Nine ten their ceremony.
[Nine ten = ninety]
其新孔嘉，
His new opening joyful,
其舊如之何？
His old/former as-if ’s where?



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All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013