The Odes Of Wei


魏風  (The Odes Of Wei)

107.  葛屨  GE JU

糾糾葛屨、可以履霜。  摻摻女手、可以縫裳。  要之襋之、好人服之。

好人提提、宛然左辟、佩其象揥。  維是褊心、是以為刺。

Shoes thinly woven of the dolichos fibre ,  May be used to walk on the hoarfrost .  The delicate fingers of a bride ,  May be used in making clothes .  [His bride] puts the waistband to his lower garment and the collar to his upper ,  And he , a wealthy man , wears them .

Wealthy , he moves about quite at ease ,  And politely he stands aside to the left .  From his girdle hangs his ivory comb-pin .  It is the narrowness of his disposition ,  Which makes him a subject for satire . 

108.  汾沮洳  FEN JU RU

彼汾沮洳、言采其莫。  彼其之子、美無度。  美無度、殊異乎公路。

彼汾一方、言采其桑。  彼其之子、美如英。  美如英、殊異乎公行。

彼汾一曲、言采其藚。  彼其之子、美如玉。  美如玉、殊異乎公族。

There in the oozy grounds of the Fen ,  They gather the sorrel .  That officer ,  Is elegant beyond measure .  He is elegant beyond measure .  But , perhaps , he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's carriages ought to be .

There along the side of the Fen ,  They gather the mulberry leaves .  That officer ,  Is elegant as a flower .  He is elegant as a flower ;  But , perhaps , he is not what the marshaller of the carriages ought  to be .

There along the bend of the Fen ,  They gather the ox-lips .  That officer ,  Is elegant as a gem .  He is elegant as a gem ;  But , perhaps , he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's relations should be .

 109.  園有桃  YUAN YOU TAO

園有桃、其實之殽。  心之憂矣、我歌且謠。  不我知者、謂我士也驕。  彼人是哉、子曰何其。  心之憂矣、其誰知之。  其誰知之、蓋亦勿思。

園有棘、其實之食。  心之憂矣、聊以行國。  不我知者、謂我士也罔極。  彼人是哉、子曰何其。  心之憂矣、其誰知之。  其誰知之、蓋亦勿思。

Of the peach trees in the garden ,  The fruit may be used as food .  My heart is grieved ,  And I play and sing .  Those who do not know me ,  Say I am a scholar venting his pride .  ' Those men are right ;  What do you mean by your words ? '  My heart is grieved ;  Who knows [the cause of] it ?  Who knows [the cause of] it ?  [They know it not] , because they will not think .

Of the jujube trees in the garden ,  The fruit may be used as food .  My heart is grieved ,  And I think I must travel about through the State .  Those who do not know me ,  Say I am an officer going to the verge of license .  ' Those men are right ;  What do you mean by your words ? '  My heart is grieved ;  Who knows [the cause of] it ?  Who knows [the cause of] it ?  [They do not know it] , because they will not think . 

110.  陟岵  ZHI HU

陟彼岵兮、瞻望父兮。  父曰嗟、予子行役、夙夜無已。  上慎旃哉、猶來無止。

陟彼屺兮、瞻望母兮。  母曰嗟、予季行役、夙夜無寐。  上慎旃哉、猶來無棄。

陟彼岡兮、瞻望兄兮。  兄曰嗟、予弟行役、夙夜必偕。  上慎旃哉、猶來無死。

I ascend that tree-clad hill ,  And look towards [the residence of] my father .  My father is saying , ' Alas ! my son , abroad on the public service ,  Morning and night never rests .  May he be careful ,  That he may come [back] , and not remain there ! '

I ascend that bare hill ,  And look towards [the residence of] my mother .  My mother is saying , ' Alas ! my child , abroad on the public service ,  Morning and night has no sleep .  May he be careful ,  That he may come [back] , and not leave his body there ! '

I ascend that ridge ,  And look towards [the residence of] my elder brother .  My brother is saying , ' Alas ! my younger brother , abroad on the public service ,  Morning and night must consort with his comrades .  May he be careful ,  That he may come back , and not die ! ' 

111.  十畝之間  SHI MU ZHI JIAN

十畝之閒兮、桑者閑閑兮。  行與子還兮。

十畝之外兮、桑者泄泄兮。  行與子逝兮。

Among their ten acres ,  The mulberry-planters stand idly about .  ' Come , ' [says one to another] , ' I will go away with you . '

Beyond those ten acres ,  The mulberry-planters move idly about .  ' Come , ' [says one to another] , ' I will go away with you . ' 

112.  伐檀  FA TAN

坎坎伐檀兮、寘之河之干兮、河水清且漣猗。  不稼不穡、胡取禾三百廛兮。  不狩不獵、胡瞻爾庭有縣貆兮。  彼君子兮、不素餐兮。

坎坎伐輻兮、寘之河之側兮、河水清且直猗。  不稼不穡、胡取禾三百億兮。  不狩不獵、胡瞻爾庭有縣特兮。  彼君子兮、不素食兮。

坎坎伐輪兮、寘之河之漘兮、河水清且淪猗。  不稼不穡、胡取禾三百囷兮。  不狩不獵、胡瞻爾庭有縣鶉兮。  彼君子兮、不素飧兮。

Kan-kan go his blows on the sandal trees ,  And he places what he hews on the river's bank ,  Whose waters flow clear and rippling .  You sow not nor reap ; --   How do you get the produce of those three hundred farms ?  You do not follow the chase ; --   How do we see the badgers hanging up in your court yards ?  O that superior man !  He would not eat the bread of idleness !

Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his spokes ,  And he places it by the side of the river ,  Whose waters flow clear and even .  You sow not nor reap ; --   How do you get your three millions of sheaves ?  You do not follow the chase ; --   How do we see the three-year-olds hanging up in your court yards ?  O that superior man !  He would not eat the bread of idleness !

Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his wheels ,  And he places it by the lip of the river ,  Whose waters flow clear in rippling circles .  You sow not nor reap ; --   How do you get the paddy for your three hundred round binns ?  You do not follow the chase ; --   How do we see the quails hanging in your court yards ?  O that superior man !  He would not eat the bread of idleness ! 

113.  碩鼠  SHUO SHU

碩鼠碩鼠、無食我黍。  三歲貫女、莫我肯顧。  逝將去女、適彼樂土。  樂土樂土、爰得我所。

碩鼠碩鼠、無食我麥。  三歲貫女、莫我肯德。  逝將去女、適彼樂國。  樂國樂國、爰得我直。

碩鼠碩鼠、無食我苗。  三歲貫女、莫我肯勞。  逝將去女、適彼樂郊。  樂郊樂郊、誰之永號。

Large rats ! Large rats !  Do not eat our millet .  Three years have we had to do with you ,  And you have not been willing to show any regard for us .  We will leave you ,  And go to that happy land .  Happy land ! Happy land !  There shall we find our place .

Large rats ! Large rats !  Do not eat our wheat .  Three years have we had to do with you ,  And you have not been willing to show any kindness to us .  We will leave you ,  And go to that happy State .  Happy State ! Happy State !  There shall we find ourselves right .

Large rats ! Large rats !  Do not eat our springing grain !  Three years have we had to do with you ,  And you have not been willing to think of our toil .  We will leave you ,  And go to those happy borders .  Happy borders ! Happy borders !  Who will there make us always to groan ?

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