離騷（六）

六、

女媭之嬋媛兮，申申其詈予。

曰：“鮌婞直以亡身兮，終然夭乎羽之野；

汝何博謇而好修兮，紛獨有此姱節；

薋菉葹以盈室兮，判獨離而不服；

眾不可戶說兮，孰雲察餘之中情；

世並舉而好朋兮，夫何煢獨而不予聽。”

依前聖以節中兮，喟憑心而曆茲；

濟沅湘以南征兮，就重華而陳詞：

“啟《九辯》與《九歌》兮，夏康娛以自縱；

不顧難以圖後兮，五子用乎家巷；

羿淫遊以佚畋兮，又好射夫封狐；

固亂流其鮮終兮，浞又貪夫厥家；

澆身被服強圉兮，縱欲而不忍；

日康娛而自忘兮，厥首用夫顛隕；

夏桀之常違兮，乃遂焉而逢殃；

後辛之菹醢兮，殷宗用之不長；

湯禹儼而祗敬兮，周論道而莫差；

舉賢才而授能兮，循繩墨而不頗；

皇天無私阿兮，攬民德焉錯輔；

夫維聖哲以茂行兮，苟得用此下土；

瞻前而顧後兮，相觀民之計極；

夫孰非義而可用兮，孰非善而可服；

阽余身而危死兮，攬余初其猶未悔；

不量鑿而正枘兮，固前修以菹醢。”

曾歔欷余鬱邑兮，哀朕時之不當；

攬茹蕙以掩涕兮，沾餘襟之浪浪。

Translation：

Leave Sores

Ode VI

Concerned with my ill-starred miserable fate,

My elder sister to my does relate:

“Sir Gun for his righteousness was renowned,

And on the plain of Yü he was death-bound.

Why stay so disciplined and out-spoken,

Showing fine tastes as a unique token?

With all kinds of common flowers in your house,

You keep them away as many a louse.

People find it so hard to explain;

Who dare say he can enter your mind’s vein?

To thrive as partisans people do tend;

Accept my counsel and take up this trend!

Following the sages’ middle way,

I subdue my outrage up to today.

Wading Yuen and Champs I southward did go,

To reason with Chunghwa and get to know:

“Lord Chee stole Nine Arguments and Nine Songs,

To loosen himself among noisy throngs.

He failed to avoid risks, without plans ahead,

So against him rebel men his son led.

Lord Yee went loose and liked to hunt and shoot,

And foxes were what he most liked to loot.

Licentious kings rarely had a smooth life,

As Sir Hansau killed him and claimed his wife.

No one matched Lord Hanore in terms of strength;

Seeking pleasure, he reached whatever length.

He went top down and lost himself in joys,

And his head fell to loud and rheumy noise.

Jack the Tyrant oft acted against common sense,

So he came to his death horrid and tense.

Joe the Tyrant killed the faithful and true,

And so his Yin Dynasty went broke too.

Lord Tom and Yü were solemn and polite;

King Wen lagged not behind in wisdom’s might.

They employed worthy and competent men,

And governed with the correct how-and-when.

Heaven is fair and loses not its rule,

And supports virtuous people as a tool.

Those sage kings alone could be wise and fair,

And the whole world was put under their care.

Looking into the future and the past,

I behold the goal for men that are cast.

Could we do unjust things in unjust ways?

Could we carry out deeds wicked and base?

Though I’m in danger of traumatic death,

I regret not old dreams of lofty breath.

Not submitting what’s round to what’s square,

Sages came across ill stars here and there.

With many a sigh, with many a tear,

I deplore I’m but time’s discarded spear.

With orchid petals I wipe my streaming eyes,

Whose tears wash my clothes and stifle my sighs!

                                                             ( 龍靖遙 译)