（古诗英译）九歌 山鬼 – 屈原

九歌 山鬼 – 屈原

 

Extolling the Spirit of Mountain by Qu Yuan

 

若有人兮山之阿，被薜荔兮带女萝。

既含睇兮又宜笑，子慕予兮善窈窕。

 

(Afar, a figure appears from the mountainside,

Clad in climbing-fig, trailing ivy, maidenly eyed,)

“Casting my smile, so demure, so sweet, O, I deem,

Thy marvel of my grace shall surge like a tide”

 

乘赤豹兮从文狸，辛夷车兮结桂旗。

被石兰兮带杜衡，折芳馨兮遗所思。

 

(Her cart of magnolias drawn by a leopard red

With flags of laurel twigs, lo, civets leap ahead,)

“An orchid robe I don with an Asarum sash,

To gift thee, I pick flowers that fragrance shed.”  

 

余处幽篁兮终不见天，路险难兮独后来。

表独立兮山之上，云容容兮而在下。

 

“In deep bamboos I dwell, whence I rarely see the sky,

The trails so perilous, late hither travel I,

Alone, I climb unto the top of the mountain,

O, from where, under my feet, clouds are roiling by.”

 

杳冥冥兮羌昼晦，东风飘兮神灵雨。

留灵修兮憺忘归，岁既晏兮孰华予？

 

(Lo, dim and dark, fie, the daylight begins to fade,

East wind rises, divine rain falls like a cascade,

Bewitched by my fair fay, I forget to take leave,

Who’d cherish me – an aging flower? I’m afraid...)

 

采三秀兮于山间，石磊磊兮葛蔓蔓。

怨公子兮怅忘归，君思我兮不得闲。

 

“I gather the elixir herbs from dale to dale,

Where rocks grab rocks, and vines creep over every trail,

My fair fay, I feel too sad to remember home,

Art thou too busy? Why art thou not here? Why fail?”

 

山中人兮芳杜若，饮石泉兮荫松柏，

君思我兮然疑作。

 

(O, Spirit of Mountain, sweet pollia thou dost wear,

Spring - thy drink, pine and cypress - thy rooves here or there,

O, dost thou doubt my love for thee? I do perceive

Thy longing for me, of which I’m fully aware.)

 

雷填填兮雨冥冥，猨啾啾兮狖夜鸣。

风飒飒兮木萧萧，思公子兮徒离忧。

 

“Aloud, thunders rumble; a-gloom, drizzles mumble,

O, all night long, apes wail, and gibbons grumble,

O, hark, winds howl and roar, the woods rustle and moan,

In vain, my yearnings for thee tumble, then crumble.”

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

(To be revised)

18/12/2024