Qu Yuan (343-278 B.C.)
Heaven’s gate now opens wide
As we ascend into the darkened clouds.
A whirlwhind surrounds as we spur on,
Sending rain and sprinkling fog.
We soar high and glide low,
Crossing the land below.
In these fractious states, disorder abounds;
How long is life—and mine?
We soar up high in peaceful glide,
Ascending the sky in yin and yang;
I travel with you at equal speed,
My lord, to guide you over the land,
The spirit world draping over,
The land below a jeweled belt.
There is one yin and one yang;
Of this the masses know nothing.
We snap a branch and take a precious flower
When we leave the land behind.
We are old and weak already
And death approaches soon:
It is too late to heal the wounds of neglect.
The dragon ascends, bearing our spirits;
We go up fast and mingle with heaven.
We make cinnamon there, but you look on,
Watching over your rivals.
Anxious man—what can you do?
There is no luck left to feed your ambition.
Human life is strong, can bear it all,
But when we come and when we go—
There is no point.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
九歌大司命 | 九歌大司命 | jiǔ gē dà sī mìng |
廣開兮天門， | 广开兮天门， | guǎng kāi xī tiān mén， |
紛吾乘兮玄雲； | 纷吾乘兮玄云； | fēn wú chéng xī xuán yún; |
令飄風兮先驅， | 令飘风兮先驱， | líng piāo fēng xī xiān qū， |
使涷雨兮灑塵； | 使涷雨兮洒尘； | shǐ dōng yǔ xī sǎ chén; |
君回翔兮以下， | 君回翔兮以下， | jūn huí xiáng xī yǐ xià， |
踰空桑兮從女； | 踰空桑兮从女； | yú kōng sāng xī cóng nǚ; |
紛總總兮九州， | 纷总总兮九州， | fēn zǒng zǒng xī jiǔ zhōu， |
何壽夭兮在予； | 何寿夭兮在予； | hé shòu yāo xī zài yú; |
高飛兮安翔， | 高飞兮安翔， | gāo fēi xī ān xiáng， |
乘清氣兮禦陰陽； | 乘清气兮御阴阳； | chéng qīng qì xī yù yīn yáng; |
吾與君兮齊速， | 吾与君兮齐速， | wú yǔ jūn xī qí sù， |
導帝之兮九坑； | 导帝之兮九坑； | dǎo dì zhī xī jiǔ kēng; |
靈衣兮被被， | 灵衣兮被被， | líng yī xī bèi bèi， |
玉佩兮陸離； | 玉佩兮陆离； | yù pèi xī lù lí; |
一陰兮一陽， | 一阴兮一阳， | yī yīn xī yī yáng， |
眾莫知兮余所為； | 众莫知兮余所为； | zhòng mò zhī xī yú suǒ wéi; |
折疏麻兮瑤華， | 折疏麻兮瑶华， | zhē shū má xī yáo huá， |
將以遺兮離居； | 将以遗[兮离居； | jiāng yǐ yí xī lí jū; |
老冉冉兮既極， | 老冉冉兮既极， | lǎo rǎn rǎn xī jì jí， |
不寖近兮愈疏； | 不寖近兮愈疏； | bù jìn jìn xī yù shū; |
乘龍兮轔轔， | 乘龙兮辚辚， | chéng lóng xī lín lín， |
高馳兮沖天； | 高驰兮冲天； | gāo chí xī chōng tiān; |
結桂枝兮延佇， | 结桂枝兮延伫， | jié guì zhī xī yán zhù， |
羌愈思兮愁人； | 羌愈思兮愁人； | qiāng yù sī xī chóu rén; |
愁人兮奈何， | 愁人兮奈何， | chóu rén xī nài hé， |
願若今兮無虧； | 愿若今兮无亏； | yuàn ruò jīn xī wú kuī; |
固人命兮有當， | 固人命兮有当， | gù rén mìng xī yǒu dāng， |
孰離合兮何為？ | 孰离合兮何为？ | shú lí hé xī hé wéi？ |
Translation Notes
Written by Qu Yuan (343-278 B.C.). Social customs in the Chu State of the time required sacrifices to the gods. They believed that if people died prematurely it had to be because the gods mandated it. Therefore, sacrificing to the gods was an important duty.
九歌大司命 | Nine songs big manage life/fate |
廣開兮天門， | Wide open ah sky gate, |
紛吾乘兮玄雲； | Scattered I ascend ah black clouds; |
令飄風兮先驅， | Cause whirlwind wind ah first spur-a-horse-on, [First spur-a-horse-on = pioneer] |
使涷雨兮灑塵； | Send rainstorm rain ah sprinkle dust; |
君回翔兮以下， | You turn glide/soar ah in-order-to underneath, [In-order-to underneath = following] |
踰空桑兮從女； | Cross-over empty/deserted mulberry-tree ah from/yielding you(formal); [You = normally “女” means woman but in this case it is used for “汝,” a formal way of saying “you.”] |
紛總總兮九州， | In-disorder altogether altogether ah nine states, [Nine states = figuratively meaning ancient China] |
何壽夭兮在予； | How old-age/long-life to-die-young ah be I; |
高飛兮安翔， | High fly ah peaceful glide, [High fly = soar] |
乘清氣兮禦陰陽； | Ascend pure air ah defend dark/yin light/yang |
吾與君兮齊速， | I with you ah equal quick, |
導帝之兮九坑； | Guide/transmit emperor/god ’s ah nine pit; [Nine pit = here means “nine mounds,” another way of saying the “nine states” or ancient China] |
靈衣兮被被， | Spiritual-world clothing ah bedding bedding, [Bedding bedding = to drape over] |
玉佩兮陸離； | Jade belt-ornament ah land leave; |
一陰兮一陽， | One yin ah one yang, |
眾莫知兮余所為； | Masses do-not comprehend ah my place does/is; [Place does = what one does] |
折疏麻兮瑤華， | Snap thin hemp ah precious-jade flower, |
將以遺兮離居； | Will thereby leave-behind ah depart dwelling; |
老冉冉兮既極， | Old weak weak ah already extreme; [Weak weak = gradually] |
不寖近兮愈疏； | Not gradually approach ah heal neglect; |
乘龍兮轔轔， | Ascend dragon ah rumbling-of-vehicles rumbling-of-vehicles, [Ascend dragon = to ride the dragon; figuratively, for kings and emperors to die] |
高馳兮沖天； | High go-swiftly ah collide-with heaven; |
結桂枝兮延佇， | Produce cinnamon branches ah extend look-toward, [Cinnamon branches = cinnamon] |
羌愈思兮愁人； | Qiang more-and-more think ah anxiety person; |
愁人兮奈何， | Anxiety person ah but why, [But why = to cope; to deal with] |
願若今兮無虧； | Hope like now ah not deficient; |
固人命兮有當， | Strong/solid man life/fate ah have bear/undertake, [Man life = human life] |
孰離合兮何為？ | Who leaves unites ah why/how do? [Leaves unites = separation and reunion] |
Year:
2013
Reviews
No reviews yet.