（古詩詞英譯）九章·怀沙 – 屈原

 九章·怀沙 – 屈原

 

Embracing Sand by Qu Yuan

 

滔滔孟夏兮，草木莽莽。

伤怀永哀兮，汩徂南土。

 

The summer-tide now surgeth vast,

The herbage wild and rank around.

Alas, southward I fare forth fast —

My heart, indeed, grief-bound...

 

眴兮杳杳，孔静幽默。

郁结纡轸兮，离愍而长鞠。

 

All deadly hushed in gloom,

Mine eyne wax dim and drear.

Woe is me, my pent-up wraths fume —

For none my wail would hear...

 

抚情效志兮，冤屈而自抑。

刓方以为圜兮，常度未替。

 

I temper my smouldering ire,

And soothe my wronged, afflicted heart.

Square shall be square as I aspire —

To make it round is ne’er my art...

 

易初本迪兮，君子所鄙。

章画志墨兮，前图未改。

 

If e’er I spurn my primal dream so grand,

The virtuous will hold me in disdain.

All lofty schemes are drawn up by my hand —

How could I let them not remain...?

 

内厚质正兮，大人所晟。

巧陲不斵兮，孰察其揆正？

 

My inner self standeth upright and strong,

A worth that is praised by the noble mind.

Ah, my unpolished craft unknown to throng —

Its nature, straight or bent, so few can find...

 

玄文处幽兮，蒙瞍谓之不章。

离娄微睇兮，瞽谓之不明。

 

My writs, like subtle patterns, veil shapes deep,

But nought the blind perceive in their dark sight.

Li Lou, the sharp eye, casteth but a peep —

The sightless would swear Li’s sight not bright...

 

变白以为黑兮，倒上以为下。

凤皇在笯兮，鸡鹜翔舞。

 

Ah, they call black white, and white black,

And eke top bottom, bottom top.

The phoenix is fast caged, alack!

The barnyard fowls dance sans a stop.

 

同糅玉石兮，一概而相量。

夫惟党人鄙固兮，羌不知余之所臧。

 

Twixt stones and noble jade,

They treat them as self-same.

How could those of ignoble grade

Ween how lofty my heart’s aim...?

 

任重载盛兮，陷滞而不济。

怀瑾握瑜兮，穷不知所示。

 

The load on my shoulder, so great,

In the mire, I cannot forth fare.

The jade, in my hold, of my fate  —

Ah, I weet, none would mark nor care...

 

邑犬群吠兮，吠所怪也。

非俊疑杰兮，固庸态也。

 

Hounds in the fief madly bark,

They bay at anything unique,

Defaming worthies in the dark —

They spit a stench no tongue could speak...

 

文质疏内兮，众不知余之异采。

材朴委积兮，莫知余之所有。

 

Though dull may peer the verbiage of mine

Its hidden splendour the crowd woteth not.

Aboundeth my raw potence, all divine —

Yet none can see the wealth within my lot...

 

重仁袭义兮，谨厚以为丰。

重华不可遌兮，孰知余之从容！

 

I carry on the virtue that I prize,

And boundless benevolence I embrace.

I can no more chance the sage Shun so wise —

None knoweth how I keep my calm in grace...

 

古固有不并兮，岂知其何故！

汤禹久远兮，邈而不可慕。

 

Fool lords discord with wise lieges sith of yore，

Howbeit, who could ever ken why?

Alas,  Shang Tang and Xia Yu of great lore —

Too far of old for mortals to draw nigh...

 

惩连改忿兮，抑心而自强。

离闵而不迁兮，愿志之有像。

 

Trials temper me and my rage,

I must needs steel my will.

Though woe betide, I alter not my gage —

My steadfast semblance standeth still ...

 

进路北次兮，日昧昧其将暮。

舒忧娱哀兮，限之以大故。

 

Northward I head amain,

Behind the hills, sinketh the sun.

Relinquish my sorrow-stirr’d pain —

For life its fate hath done...

 

乱曰：

浩浩沅湘，分流汩兮。

脩路幽蔽，道远忽兮。

 

Thus I cry:

 

Lo, Yuan and Xiang, twain great rivers,

a-forking forth with such relentless force.

Veiled perils the long journey delivers —

So tedious and dubious the course...

 

曾唫恒悲兮，永慨叹兮。

世既莫吾知兮，人心不可谓兮。

 

Alas, deep sighs I heave,

And my loud chants shall for aye ring.

Alack! the mortal world — I believe —

Ne’er heedeth what I sing ...

 

怀质抱青，独无匹兮。

伯乐既没，骥焉程兮。

 

Great green gems I do hold,

Full lonely, sans worthy compeer.

Gone is the steed-seer of old —

No more doth Bo Le heed steeds, I fear...

 

民生禀命，各有所错兮。

定心广志，余何畏惧兮！

 

Each life travelleth its own way,

And beareth its fate-assign’d yoke.

On my heart I cast off what doth o’erweigh —

Wherefore fear my course, life-bespoke...?

 

曾伤爰哀，永叹喟兮。

世溷浊莫吾知，人心不可谓兮。

 

Alack! I bear unending grief,

And sigh, deep-sorrowed, o’er again.

Ah, this muddled, benighted fief —

Venom-veiled hearts lie beyond ken...

 

知死不可让，愿勿爱兮。

明告君子，吾将以为类兮。

 

Mine encroaching death I do see,

Let it engulf me in all haste.

O, I’d as lief be ever with thee —

I speak unto the noble and the chaste...  

 

Tr. Ziyuzile

15/11/2025

(To be revised)