Mourning Disorder

嗟嗟兮悲夫，殽乱兮纷挐。

Alas, alas, how grievous! The age is jumbled and disordered, a tangled confusion.

茅丝兮同综，冠屦兮共絇。

Straw and silk are woven on the same loom, and caps and shoes share the same ornament.

督万兮侍宴，周邵兮负刍。

The regicides Hua Du and Song Wan wait at the feast, while worthies like the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao carry fodder.

白龙兮见射，灵龟兮执拘。

The White Dragon, spirit of the river, was shot by Yi, and the divine tortoise, Heaven's omen, was seized and held captive.

仲尼兮困厄，邹衍兮幽囚。

The sage Confucius suffered want between Chen and Cai, and the worthy Zou Yan was shut away in prison by Qi.

伊余兮念兹，奔遁兮隐居。

Thinking on these things, I run and flee away to live in hiding from the world.

将升兮高山，上有兮猴猿。

I would climb the high mountains, but up there are monkeys and apes.

欲入兮深谷，下有兮虺蛇。

I would enter the deep valleys, but down there lurk vipers and snakes.

左见兮鸣鵙，右睹兮呼枭。

On my left I see the shrike crying, on my right I see the owl calling.

惶悸兮失气，踊跃兮距跳。

Terrified and trembling, I nearly swoon, then leap and spring about to vent my pent-up grief.

便旋兮中原，仰天兮增叹。

I wheel and wander over the open plain, and look up to heaven with ever deeper sighs.

菅蒯兮楙莽，雚苇兮仟眠。

Jian grass and kuai sedge grow rank and thick, and reeds and rushes stretch dense and unbroken.

鹿蹊兮躖躖，貒貉兮蟫蟫。

Along the deer trails the hoofprints run one after another, and badgers and raccoon-dogs trail along in packs.

鹯鹞兮轩轩，鹑鹌兮甄甄。

Sparrowhawks and harriers hover about to alight, and quail flutter past on small wings.

哀我兮寡独，靡有兮齐伦。

I grieve that I am solitary and alone, with no companion to match me.

意欲兮沉吟，迫日兮黄昏。

My heart would linger and brood, but the day presses on towards dusk.

玄鹤兮高飞，曾逝兮青冥。

The black crane soars high, rising tier upon tier, and vanishes into the blue void of the Great Clarity.

鶬鶊兮喈喈，山鹊兮嚶嚶。

The orioles call in sweet harmony, and the mountain magpies chirp clear and bright.

鸿鸬兮振翅，归雁兮于征。

The great wild goose and the cormorant beat their wings to fly, and the homing geese set out on their journey.

吾志兮觉悟，怀我兮圣京。

My will suddenly awakens, and I yearn for the capital of my sage ruler.

垂屣兮将起，跓俟兮硕明。

Slipping on my shoes I make ready to rise, and stand waiting for the full light of day.