秦代 桑扈之什 Sang Huzhishen  秦代  
SANG HU
YUAN YANG
KUI BIAN
CHE XIA
QING YING
BIN ZHI CHU YAN
YU ZAO
CAI SHU
JIAO GONG
WAN LIU
Multiple poems at a time
the poem each line of which consists of four words

WAN LIU
菀柳

   Sang Huzhishen

There is a luxuriant willow tree; --
Who would not wish to rest [under it]?
[But this] god is very changeable; --
Do not approach him.
If I were to [try and] order his affairs,
His demands afterwards would be extreme.


There is a luxuriant willow tree; --
Who would not wish to take shelter [under it]?
[But this] god is very changeable,
Do not get yourself into trouble with him.
If I were to [try and] order his affairs,
His demands on me afterwards would be beyond measure.


There is a bird flying high,
Even up to heaven.
The heart of that man, --
To what will it proceed?
Why should I [try to] order his affairs?
I should only find myself in pitiable misery.

    Translator: James Legge
  

【Collections】柳树诗经

【Source】 The English translation text was taken from The Chinese Classics, vol. 4 by James Legge (1898) and checked against a reprinted edition by Wen Zhi Zhe chu pan she (Taiwan, 1971).


Add a comment