（古詩詞英譯）九章·懷沙 – 屈原

 九章·懷沙 – 屈原

 

Embracing Sand by Qu Yuan

 

滔滔孟夏兮，草木莽莽。

傷懷永哀兮，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，孔靜幽默。

鬱結紆軫兮，離湣而長鞠。

 

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...

 

撫情效誌兮，冤屈而自抑。

刓方以為圜兮，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。

章畫誌墨兮，前圖未改。

 

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...?

 

內厚質正兮，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...

 

玄文處幽兮，蒙瞍謂之不章。

離婁微睇兮，瞽謂之不明。

 

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...

 

變白以為黑兮，倒上以為下。

鳳皇在笯兮，雞鶩翔舞。

 

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。

夫惟黨人鄙固兮，羌不知餘之所臧。

 

Twixt stones and noble jade,

They treat them as self-same.

How could those of ignoble grade

Ween how lofty my heart’s aim...?

 

任重載盛兮，陷滯而不濟。

懷瑾握瑜兮，窮不知所示。

 

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。

非俊疑傑兮，固庸態也。

 

Hounds in the fief madly bark,

They bay at anything unique,

Defaming worthies in the dark —

They spit a stench no tongue could speak...

 

文質疏內兮，眾不知餘之異采。

材樸委積兮，莫知餘之所有。

 

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...

 

重仁襲義兮，謹厚以為豐。

重華不可遌兮，孰知餘之從容！

 

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...

 

古固有不並兮，豈知其何故！

湯禹久遠兮，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...

 

懲連改忿兮，抑心而自強。

離閔而不遷兮，願誌之有像。

 

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 ...

 

進路北次兮，日昧昧其將暮。

舒憂娛哀兮，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...

 

亂曰：

浩浩沅湘，分流汩兮。

脩路幽蔽，道遠忽兮。

 

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，永慨歎兮。

世既莫吾知兮，人心不可謂兮。

 

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 ...

 

懷質抱青，獨無匹兮。

伯樂既沒，驥焉程兮。

 

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...

 

民生稟命，各有所錯兮。

定心廣誌，餘何畏懼兮！

 

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...?

 

曾傷爰哀，永歎喟兮。

世溷濁莫吾知，人心不可謂兮。

 

Alack! I bear unending grief,

And sigh, deep-sorrowed, o’er again.

Ah, this muddled, benighted fief —

Venom-veiled hearts lie beyond ken...

 

知死不可讓，願勿愛兮。

明告君子，吾將以為類兮。

 

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)