Ruined Fish Net
by Frank Watson
Fish net ruined on a beam—
Once it was full of bream,
But then they escaped
In cloudy shapes.

Fish net ruined on a beam—
Once it teemed with silver carp;
But they, unwilling to be constrained,  
Soon fled like falling rain.

Fish net ruined  on a beam—
One is stuck at the seam
While others swim back and forth,
Swirling like a stream.


[Translated from an anonymous poem in the Shijing]



Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
敝笱
敝笱
bì gǒu



敝笱在梁，
敝笱在梁，
bì gǒu zài liáng ，
其魚魴鰥。
其鱼鲂鳏。
qí yú fáng guān 。
齊子歸止，
齐子归止，
qí zǐ guī zhǐ ，
其從如雲。
其从如云。
qí cóng rú yún 。
敝笱在梁，
敝笱在梁，
bì gǒu zài liáng ，
其魚魴鱮。
其鱼鲂鱮。
qí yú fáng xù 。
齊子歸止，
齐子归止，
qí zǐ guī zhǐ ，
其從如雨。
其从如雨。
qí cóng rú yǔ 。
敝笱在梁，
敝笱在梁，
bì gǒu zài liáng ，
其魚唯唯。
其鱼唯唯。
qí yú wéi wéi 。
齊子歸止，
齐子归止，
qí zǐ guī zhǐ ，
其從如水。
其从如水。
qí cóng rú shuǐ。


Translation Notes


敝笱
Broken Basket-trap-for-fish


敝笱在梁，
Broken basket on bridge,
其魚魴鰥。
Its fish bream huge-fish.
齊子歸止，
All-together offspring return stop,
其從如雲。
Its from like clouds.
敝笱在梁，
Broken basket on bridge,
其魚魴鱮。
Its fish bream silver-carp.
齊子歸止，
All-together offspring return stop,
其從如雨。
Its from like rain.
敝笱在梁，
Broken basket on bridge,
其魚唯唯。
Its fish alone alone.
齊子歸止，
All-together offspring return stop,
其從如水。
Its from like water.

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