A Kingfisher Bird
This poem is a story about a swan that flies free, not entering the water where he is an easy target for hunters. Meanwhile, he sees two glamorous kingfisher birds sitting in pearl nests on a tree top and warns them that their luxury makes them easy targets. In the poem, the swan symbolizes the author, Zhang Jiuling, and the two kingfishers symbolize his political enemies.
Translation
| By Zhang Jiuling | 張九齡 |
| Lamentation 1 | 感遇其一 |
| | |
| A lone swan approaches the sea | 孤鴻 海上來 |
| The waters— not venturing in | 池潢 不敢顧 |
| Leaning, he sees a couple kingfisher birds | 側見 雙 翠鳥 |
| Their nest is three pearls in a tree | 巢在 三珠 樹 |
| Gallant, precious tree of the mountain-top, | 矯矯 珍木 巔 |
| Have you no fear of hunting pellets? | 得無 金丸 懼？ |
| Beautiful clothes bother men: they point | 美服 患人 指 |
| The brilliant compels God’s hate | 高明 逼 神惡 |
| Now I fly freely around the universe | 今我 遊 冥冥 |
| While the hunter targets places most admired | 弋者 何所 慕 |
Original Chinese
| Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
| | | |
| 張九齡 | 张九龄 | Zhāng Jiǔlíng |
| 感遇其一 | 感遇其一 | Gǎn yù qí yī |
| | | |
| 孤鴻海上來， | 孤鸿海上来， | Gū hóng hǎishàng lái, |
| 池潢不敢顧； | 池潢不敢顾; | Chí huáng bù gǎn gù; |
| 側見雙翠鳥， | 侧见双翠鸟， | Cè jiàn shuāng cuì niǎo, |
| 巢在三珠樹。 | 巢在三珠树。 | Cháo zài sān zhū shù. |
| 矯矯珍木巔， | 矫矫珍木巅， | Jiǎo jiǎo zhēn mù diān, |
| 得無金丸懼？ | 得无金丸惧？ | Dé wú jīnwán jù? |
| 美服患人指， | 美服患人指， | Měi fú huàn rén zhǐ, |
| 高明逼神惡。 | 高明逼神恶。 | Gāomíng bī shén wú. |
| 今我遊冥冥， | 今我游冥冥， | Jīn wǒ yóu míng míng, |
| 弋者何所慕？ | 弋者何所慕？ | Yì zhě hé suǒ mù? |
Literal
Zhang Jiuling
Feel Encounter Its One
Lone swan sea go come [go come = approach],
Pond lake not venture look-at;
Lean see couple kingfisher bird [kingfisher bird = kingfisher]
Nest consist three pearl tree.
Correct straighten precious tree mountain-top [Correct straighten = gallant; two readings of same character]
Obtain no metal pellet fear?
Beautiful clothes worry man pointing,
tall bright compel god hate. [tall bright = brilliant]
Now I fly dark dark [dark dark = universe]
Shoot those which place admire [shoot those = hunter; which place = where]
Year:
2011
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