（古詞英譯）九章·涉江 — 屈原

九章·涉江 — 屈原

 

余幼好此奇服兮，年既老而不衰。

带长铗之陆离兮，冠切云之崔嵬，被明月兮佩宝璐。

世溷浊而莫余知兮，吾方高驰而不顾。

驾青虬兮骖白螭，吾与重华游兮瑶之圃。

登昆仑兮食玉英，与天地兮比寿，与日月兮同光。

哀南夷之莫吾知兮，旦余济乎江湘。

 

River Odyssey by Qu yuan

 

Canto I

Sith days of youth I have loved this wondrous attire,

And age hath not at all forced my zeal to expire.

A dazzling long sword girds my side,

A cloud-cleaving crown — lofty with pride,

And eke I don moon-lustred gems and jade.

Though this world heeds me not, in riot ‘tis laid,

Unbowed, I stride forth, my vision set ahead.

Charioted by dragons, blue and white high-bred

I’d escort Saint Chonghua through the jade-lit place —

The Fairy Garden — and taste the floral grace

Atop the Mount Kunlun. For long life I vie

With heaven and earth, for brilliance I ply

To shine with the moon and the sun,

Alas, folks of Chu value me not, no one

Appreciates me — thus, morrow morn I’ll sail

Athwart the rivers of Xiang and Yangze in gale.

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

04/05/2025

(draft / to be continued)