英文版离骚.docx

英文版离骚.docx

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英文版离骚

LISAO（TheLament）isnotonlyoneofthemostremarkableworksofCh'üYüan,itranksasoneofthegreatestpoemsinChineseorworldpoetry.Itwasprobablywrittenduringtheperiodwhenthepoethadbeenexiledbyhisking,andwaslivingsouthoftheYangtseRiver.

ThenameLISAOhasbeeninterpretedbysomeasmeaning"encounteringsorrow,"byothersas"sorrowafterdeparture."Somerecentscholarshaveconstrueditas"sorrowinestrangement,"whileyetothersthinkitwasthenameofacertaintypeofmusic.

Thislonglyricalpoemdescribesthesearchanddisillusionmentofasoulinagony,ridingondragonsandserpentsfromheaventoearth.Bymeansofrichimageryandskilfulsimiles,itexpressesloveofone'scountryandthesadnessofseparation.Ittouchesuponvarioushistoricalthemesintermingledwithlegendsandmyths,anddepicts,directlyorindirectly,thesocialconditionsofthattimeandthecomplexdestiniesofthecitystatesofancientChina.Theconflictbetweentheindividualandtherulinggroupisrepeatedlydescribed,whileatthesametimethepoetaffirmshisdeterminationtofightforjustice.Thispassionatedesiretosavehiscountry,andthisloveforthepeople,accountforthepoem'ssplendourandimmortality.

AprinceamIofancestryrenowned,

Illustriousnamemyroyalsirehathfound.

WhenSiriusdidinspringitslightdisplay,

Achildwasborn,andTigermarkedtheday.

Whenfirstuponmyfacemylord'seyeglanced,

Formeauspiciousnameshestraightadvanced,

DenotingthatinmeHeaven'smarksdivine

Shouldwiththevirtuesoftheearthcombine.

Withlavishedinnatequalitiesindued,

ByartandskillmytalentsIrenewed;

Angelicherbsandsweetselineastoo,

Andorchidslatethatbythewatergrew,

Iwoveforornament;tillcreepingTime,

Likewaterflowing,stoleawaymyprime.

MagnoliasofthegladeIpluckedatdawn,

Atevebesidethestreamtookwinter-thorn.

Withoutdelaythesunandmoonspedfast,

Inswiftsuccessionspringandautumnpassed;

Thefallenflowerslayscatteredontheground,

Theduskmightfallbeforemydreamwasfound.

HadInotlovedmyprimeandspurnedthevile,

WhyshouldInothavechangedmyformerstyle?

Mychariotdrawnbysteedsofracedivine

Iurged;toguidethekingmysoledesign.

Threeancientkingsthereweresopureandtrue

Thatroundthemeveryfragrantflowergrew;

Cassiaandpepperofthemountain-side

Withmelilotuswhiteinclustersvied.

Twomonarchsthen,whohighrenownreceived,

Followedthekinglyway,theirgoalachieved.

Twoprincesproudbylusttheirreignabused,

Soughteasierpath,andtheirownstepsconfused.

Thefactionforillictpleasurelonged;

Dreadfultheirwaywherehiddenperilsthronged.

Dangeragainstmyselfcouldnotappal,

ButfearedIlestmysovereign'ssceptrefall.

ForwardandbackIhastenedinmyquest,

Followedtheformerkings,andtooknorest.

Theprincemytrueintegritydefamed,

Gaveeartoslander,highhisangerflamed;

IntegrityIknewcouldnotavail,

Yetstillendured;mylordIwouldnotfail.

Celestialspheresmywitnessbeonhigh,

Istrovebutforhissacredmajesty.

Twasfirsttomehegavehisplightedword,

Butsoonrepentingothercounselheard.

Formedeparturecouldarousenopain;

Igrievedtoseehisroyalpurposevain.

NinefieldsoforchidsatonetimeIgrew,

Formelilotahundredacrestoo,

Andfiftyacresfortheazaleabright,

Therumexfragrantandthelichenwhite.

Ilongedtoseethemyieldingblossomsrare,

Andthoughtinseasonduethespoiltoshare.

Ididnotgrievetoseethemdieaway,

Butgrievedbecausemidstweedstheydiddecay.

Insatiableinlustandgreediness

Thefactionstrove,andtirednotofexcess;

Themselvescondoning,othersthey'ddecry,

Andsteeptheirheartsinenviousjealousy.

Insatiablytheyseizedwhattheydesired,

Itwasnotthattowhichmyheartaspired.

Asoldageunrelentinghurriednear,

Lestmyfairnameshouldfailwasallmyfear.

DewfrommagnolialeavesIdrankatdawn,

Ateveforfoodwereasterpetalsborne;

Andlovingthusthesimpleandthefair,

HowshouldIformysallowfeaturescare?

WithgatheredvinesIstrungvaleriawhite,

Andmixedwithbluewistariapetalsbright,

Andmelilotusmatchedwithcassiasweet,

Withivygreenandtendrilslongtomeet.

LifeIadaptedtotheancientway,

Leavingthemannersofthepresentday;

Thusunconformingtothemodernage,

ThepathIfollowedofabygonesage.

LongdidIsighandwipeawaymytears,

Toseemypeoplebowedbygriefsandfears.

ThoughImygiftsenhancedandcurbedmypride,

Atmornthey'dmockme,wouldatevederide;

FirstcursedthatIangelicashouldwear,

Thencursedmeformymelilotusfair.

Butsincemyheartdidlovesuchpurity,

I'dnotregretathousanddeathstodie.

Imarvelatthefollyoftheking,

Soheedlessofhispeople'ssuffering.

Theyenviedmemymothlikeeyebrowsfine,

Andsomynamehisdamselsdidmalign.

Trulytocraftalonetheirpraisetheypaid,

Thesquareinmeasuringtheydisobeyed;

Theuseofcommonrulestheyhelddebased;

Withconfidencetheircrookedlinestheytraced.

Insadnessplungedandsunkindeepestgloom,

AloneIdroveontomydrearydoom.

InexileratherwouldImeetmyend,

Thantothebasenessoftheirwaysdescend.

Remotetheeaglespurnsthecommonrange,

Nordeignssincetimebeganitswaytochange;

Acirclefitsnotwithasquaredesign;

Theirdifferentwayscouldnotbemergedwithmine.

YetstillmyheartIcheckedandcurbedmypride,

Theirblameenduredandtheirreproachbeside.

TodieforrighteousnessaloneIsought,

Forthiswaswhattheancientsagestaught.

Ifailedmyformererrorstodiscern;

Itarriedlong,butnowIwouldreturn.

MysteedsIwheeledbacktotheirformerway,

LestalltoolongdownthewrongpathIstray.

Onorchid-coveredbankIloosedmysteed,

Andlethimgallopbytheflow'rymead

Atwill.Rejectednowandindisgrace,

Iwouldretiretocultivatemygrace.

WithcressleavesgreenmysimplegownImade,

Withlilieswhitemyrusticgarbdidbraid.

WhyshouldIgrievetogounrecognised,

Sinceinmyheartfragrancewastrulyprized?

Myheaddressthenhigh-pinnacledIraised,

Lengthenedmypendents,wherebrightjewelsblazed.

Othersmaysmirchtheirfragranceandbrighthues,

Myinnocenceisproofagainstabuse.

OftIlookedback,gazedtothedistancestill,

Longedinthewildernesstoroamatwill.

Splendidmyornamentstogethervied,

Withallthefragranceoftheflowersbeside;

Allmenhadpleasuresintheirvariousways,

Mypleasurewastocultivatemygrace.

Iwouldnotchange,thoughtheymybodyrend;

Howcouldmyheartbewrestedfromitsend?

Myhandmaidfair,withcountenancedemure,

Entreatedmeallegiancetoabjure:

"Aheroperishedintheplainill-starred,

Wherepigmiesstayedtheirplumagetodiscard.

Whylovestthouthygraceandpurity,

Alonedostholdthysplendidvirtuehigh?

Lentilsandweedstheprince'schamberfill:

Whyholdestthoualoofwithstubbornwill?

Thoucanstnotonebyonethecrowdpersuade,

Andwhothepurposeofourhearthathweighed?

Factionandstrifetheworldhatheverloved;

Heedingmenot,whystandestthouremoved?

"

Isoughtth'ancestralvoicetoeasemywoe.

Alas,howonesoproudcouldsinksolow!

TobarbaroussouthIwentacrossthestream;

BeforetheancientIbeganmytheme:

"Withodesdivinetherecameamonarch'sson,

Whoserevelsunrestrainedwereneverdone;

Inanticswild,tocomingperilsblind,

Hefoughthisbrother,andhisswaydeclined.

Theroyalarcher,inhiswantonchase

Forfoxeshuge,hiskingdomdiddisgrace.

Suchwantonnesspredictsnohappyend;

Hisqueenwasstolenbyhisloyalfriend.

Thetraitor'sson,cladinprodigiousmight,

Inincestsinnedandcarednotwhatwasright.

Herevelledallhisdays,forgettingall;

Hisheadatlastintreacherydidfall.

Andthentheprince,whocounselsdisobeyed,

Didcourtdisaster,andhiskingdomfade.

Aprincehissageinburningcauldronstossed;

Hisgloriousdynastyerelongwaslost.

"Butsternandpiouswastheirancientsire,

Andhissuccessortoodidfaithinspire;

Exaltedwerethewise,theableused,

Therulewaskeptandneverwasabused.

Theaugustheaven,withunbiassedgrace,

Allmendiscerns,andhelpsthevirtuousrace;

Sagaciousprincesthroughtheirvirtuousdeed

Theearthinherit,andtheirreignssucceed.

ThepastIprobed,thefuturesotoscan,

Andfoundtheserulesthatguidethelifeofman:

Amanunjustindeedwhowouldengage?

Whomshouldmentakeasguideexceptthesage?

InmortaldangersdeathIhavedefied,

Yetcouldlookback,andcastregretaside.

Whostrove,theirtool'sdefectsaccountingnought,

Likeancientsagesweretocauldronsbrought."

ThusIdespaired,myfacewithsadtearsmarred,

Mourningwithbitternessmyyearsill-starred;

AndmelilotusleavesItooktostem

Thetearsthatstreameddowntomygarment'shem.

Soilingmygown,topleadmycaseIkneeled;

Th'ancestralvoicethepathtomerevealed.

Swiftjade-greendragons,birdswithplumagegold,

Iharnessedtothewhirlwind,andbehold,

Atdaybreakfromthelandofplane-treesgrey,

Icametoparadiseerecloseofday.

Iwishedwithinthesacredbrovetorest,

Butnowthesunwassinkinginthewest;

ThedriverofthesunIbadetostay,

Erewiththesettingrayswehasteaway.

Thewaywaslong,andwrappedingloomdidseem,

AsIurgedontoseekmyvanisheddream.

Thedragonsquenchedtheirthirstbesidethelake

Wherebathedthesun,whilstIuponthebrake

Fastened