《詩經 Shi Jin》__ 江紹倫英譯

小雅‧魚藻之什‧隰

隰桑有阿  其葉有難  既見君子  其樂如何
隰桑有阿  其葉有沃  既見君子  云何不樂
隰桑有阿  其葉有幽  既見君子  德音孔膠
心乎愛矣  遐不謂矣  中心藏之  何日忘之 

Mulberry Tree

The lowland mulberry a beauty
Leaves lush and plenty
Behold my man gentle
I am happy and settled

The lowland mulberry a beauty
Leaves green like water flows wavy
Behold the man of my dream
My feelings delight and keen

The lowland mulberry a beauty
Leaves grow thick and dark daily
Behold my man extraordinaire
My heart hung dangling in the air

I love him more than I know
Why do I not tell him so
Better keep it deep in my soul
To rejoice and grow

小雅鴻鴈之什

鶴鳴于九皐  聲聞于野  魚潛在淵  或在于渚
樂彼之園  爰有樹檀  其下維蘀  它山之石  可以為錯

鶴鳴于九皐  聲聞于天  魚在于渚  或潛在淵
樂彼之園  爰有樹檀  其下維穀  它山之石  可以攻玉

 

Crane Cries

From distant marsh cranes cry
Their voice heard in miles
In the deep fishes hide
They also swim around the isle
A garden pleases the eye
Shady sandal trees stand high
Fallen leaves beneath smell fine
Mineral rocks from yonder hills valuable
They can be turned into gem cutters useful

From distant marsh cranes cry
Their songs heard in high sky
In the shallows fishes glide
Down adjacent deeps they leisurely lie
A garden pleases the eye
Elegant sandal trees standing high
Below are mulberries red and eatable
Gem stones from yonder hills memorable
They can be polished into jade eternal

小雅‧南有嘉魚之什‧湛

湛湛露斯  匪陽不晞  厭厭夜飲  不醉無歸
湛湛露斯  在彼豐草  厭厭夜飲  在宗載考
湛湛露斯  在彼杞棘  顯允君子  莫不令德
其桐其椅  其實離離  豈弟君子  莫不令儀

Heavy Dew

Dews cool and nice
They disappear after sunrise
We feast and drink all night
Drunk we go home fine

Dews cool and nice
They help grass to thrive
We feast and drink all night
In the temple our ancestors abide

Dews cool and nice
Date trees and willows thrive
Our guests noble and gentle
They are virtuous and honorable

The forest contains plane and jujube
Their fruits juicy and free
Our guest are happy and at ease
Drunk we are merry and at peace

小雅‧南有嘉魚之什‧菁菁者

菁菁者莪  在彼中阿  既見君子  樂且有儀
菁菁者莪  在彼中沚  既見君子  我心則喜
菁菁者莪  在彼中陵  既見君子  錫我百朋
泛泛楊舟  載沉載浮  既見君子  我心則休

Excellence in School

Tall grass grow lushly
Along the mountain valley
When I see these fine personalities
Happy showing propriety

Tall grass grow lushly
On the river isle vividly
When I see these fine personalities
My delights are many

Tall grass grow lushly
On the hills wooingly
When I see these fine personalities
Good friendship in bounty

A boat of willow easily floats
Following waves high and low
When I see these fine personalities
My mind peaceful and happy

國風‧豳‧伐

伐柯如何  匪斧不克  取妻如何  匪媒不得
伐柯伐柯  其則不遠  我覯之子  籩豆有踐
 

To Make an Axe Handle

To make an axe handle
One needs an axe with handle
To marry a good wife
I need a betrothal

To hew and to carve
The model is in my grasp
To know my newly-wed
Appreciate food on the table set

國風‧檜‧匪

匪風發兮  匪車偈兮  顧瞻周道  中心怛兮
匪風飄兮  匪車嘌兮  顧瞻周道  中心吊兮
誰能亨魚  溉之釜鬵  誰將西歸  懷之好音
 

Flight East

Winds a fierce gust
Carriage runs flying fast
I look back the road travelled
My heart sick and sorrow

Winds a whirling blast
Carriage runs wild fast
I look back the road travelled
My heart grieves unusual

Who can cook a fish for me
I will wash the cookeries
Who is going back west
Please relay home a safety message

周頌‧清廟之什‧思
思文后稷  克配彼天  立我烝民  莫匪爾極
貽我來牟  帝命率育  無此疆爾界  陳常于時夏
 

To the Corn Lord

O Lord of Corn on high
Your deeds and the gods nigh
You keep us in sufficiency
Everyone enjoys your benevolence

You provide us with seeds of grain
Providence helps us eat and train
Growing knows no territorial border
We all thrive in good order

周頌‧閔予小子之什‧敬

敬之敬之  天維顯思
命不易哉  無曰高高在上
陟降厥士  日監在茲
維予小子  不聦敬止
日就月將  學有緝熙于光明
佛時仔肩  示我顯德行

Respect with Humility

Respect revere
He has Heaven’s ways and sensibility
Opportunities slip by easily
Even the gods abide by this
He rules over our rise and fall
And watch how things go one and all
Behold a young king here I stand
I revere wise people with skilful hands
And watch events evolve in days hence
I will learn to do what is right
Help me do responsibilities fair and bright
Show me virtue forever shine

國風‧邶‧凱

凱風自南  吹彼棘心  棘心夭夭  母氏劬勞
凱風自南  吹彼棘薪  母氏聖善  我無令人
爰有寒泉  在浚之下  有子七人  母氏勞苦
睍睆黃鳥  載好其音  有子七人  莫慰母心
 

Gentle Breeze

From south come breezes gentle
Warming jujube trees little by little
The trees thrive strongly
Our mother toils willingly

From south come breezes gentle
Mature trees offer firewood plenty
Our mother nourishes us lovingly
Helping little us siblings feel sorry

Love from a cool spring steady
Its source in Jun County
We are seven brothers strong
Mother toils for us on and on

Yellow birds sing merrily
Their songs comfort us tenderly
Alas seven boys cannot bring
Sounds of love to mother’s ear ring

國風‧邶‧ 

燕燕于飛  差池其羽  之子于歸  遠送于野  瞻望弗及  泣涕如雨
燕燕于飛  頡之頏之  之子于歸  遠于將之  瞻望弗及  佇立以泣
燕燕于飛  下上其音  之子于歸  遠送于南  瞻望弗及  實勞我心
仲氏任只  其心塞淵  終溫且惠  淑慎其身  先君之思  以勖寡人
 

Parting Sparrows

A pair of swallows flies
Chasing each other front and behind
My sister is marrying far away
I see you off on your way
When I see you no more
My tears like rain heavily fall

A pair of swallows flies
From the ground they soar high
My sister is marrying far away
I accompany you all the way
When the image of you disappeared
I stand still my face washed by tears

A pair of swallows flies
Their songs reverberate far and nigh
My sister is marrying far away
I see you off at South Gate
When I watch and see you no more
I grieved my heart is very sore

My sister is capable and responsible
Her thoughts and feelings considerable
She is loving and gentle
So kind and so noble
Our late husband wished us do good deeds
Our heart is one and indiscrete

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