蟬賦 – 曹植 （節譯二）

蟬賦 – 曹植 （節譯二）

 

Ode to Cicada by Cao Zhi

 

有翩翩之狡童兮，步容与于园圃。

体离朱之聪视兮，姿才捷于狝猿。

 

Here appears a charming lad,

Rambling into the sacred fruit garden.

His discerning eyes, as the storied Li Zhu had,

It seems his climbs so agile as apes from Arden.

 

条罔叶而不挽兮，树无干而不缘。

翳轻躯而奋进兮，跪侧足以自闲。

 

He left no twigs or branches unshaken,

No tree left unclimbed - not a single one.

As light as a feather, no step was mistaken,

Now hiding, now kneeling, all perfectly done.  

 

恐余身之惊骇兮，精曾睨而目连。

持柔竿之冉冉兮，运微粘而我缠。

 

He fears any rustle may startle his prey,

He crouches there, yet his eye hath never lost it,

A slender pole rises carefully on its way,

Its glutenous tip grabs the game - O, that’s kismet!

 

欲翻飞而逾滞兮，知性命之长捐。

委厥体于膳夫。归炎炭而就燔。

 

It tries to fly away, yet no way can it do so,

It hath realised its life hath come to its descent.

Hence, it succumbs its body to the fire aglow,

Roasted alive, a petty life – just like that, spent.

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

(To be revised)

21/07/2024