Mourning a Life

昔皇考之嘉志兮，喜登能而亮贤。

In days past my late father Boyong held fine aims: he loved to raise up the able and put his trust in the worthy.

情纯洁而罔薉兮，姿盛质而无愆。

My nature is pure and clean, without stain; my bearing is rich in substance and my conduct without fault.

放佞人与谄谀兮，斥谗夫与便嬖。

Were I in office I would banish the cunning and the fawning, and drive out slanderers and favourites who rise by flattery.

亲忠正之悃诚兮，招贞良与明智。

I would draw close the loyal, upright and sincere, and summon the virtuous and the wise from obscurity to fill their posts.

心溶溶其不可量兮，情澹澹其若渊。

My heart is broad as a river and cannot be measured; my feelings are calm and unmoved, deep as an abyss.

回邪辟而不能入兮，诚原藏而不可迁。

Crooked words and depraved men cannot enter my heart; I sincerely wish to keep this pure conduct and never change.

逐下袟于後堂兮，迎虙妃于伊雒。

I would drive the lesser concubines from the rear hall so they cannot disorder the state, and bring the goddess Fufei from the Yi and Luo rivers to be the king's consort.

刜谗贼于中廇兮，选吕管于榛薄。

I would cut down the slanderous traitors in the centre of the hall, and pick out ministers like Lü Shang and Guan Zhong from the thickets.

丛林之下无怨士兮，江河之畔无隐夫。

Then no embittered scholar would be left beneath the forest trees, and no worthy man would lie hidden by the rivers.

三苗之徒以放逐兮，伊皋之伦以充庐。

Flatterers like the Three Miao would be banished to the far borders, and men like Yi Yin and Gaoyao would fill the court.

今反表以为里兮，颠裳以为衣。

But now the outside is turned in to serve as lining, and the skirt is turned upside down to serve as a coat.

戚宋万于两楹兮，废周邵于遐夷。

The regicide Song Wan is cherished between the two pillars of the hall, while men like the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao are discarded among the distant barbarians.

却骐骥以转运兮，腾驴骡以驰逐。

The fine steeds are sent back to haul heavy loads, while donkeys and mules are ridden in the chase.

蔡女黜而出帷兮，戎妇入而綵绣服。

The worthy lady of Cai is dismissed and driven from the curtains, while the ugly woman of the Rong tribes enters the inner chamber in embroidered robes of five colours.

庆忌囚于阱室兮，陈不占战而赴围。

The brave Prince Qingji of Wu is locked in a pit-like cell, while the timid Chen Buzhan of Qi is sent to fight and break the siege.

破伯牙之号钟兮，挟人筝而弹纬。

The famous qin Haozhong that Boya played is smashed, while a common man's little zheng is taken up and its strings strained and plucked.

藏瑉石于金匮兮，捐赤瑾于中庭。

The inferior min stone is stored in a golden casket, while the red jade jin is thrown out into the courtyard.

韩信蒙于介胄兮，行夫将而攻城。

The great general Han Xin is kept in armour and helmet standing in the ranks, while a coward from the ranks is made general to storm cities.

莞芎弃于泽洲兮，瓟瓥蠹于筐簏。

The fragrant herbs guan and lovage are thrown away on the marsh islets, and gourd ladles are shut in hampers to rot and be eaten by worms.

麒麟奔于九皋兮，熊罴群而逸囿。

The gentle qilin flees to the deep marshes of the nine bends, while bears and brown bears roam in herds through the royal park.

折芳枝与琼华兮，树枳棘与薪柴。

Fragrant boughs and jade-like blossoms are snapped off, while thorny trifoliate orange and dead brushwood are planted.

掘荃蕙与射干兮，耘藜藿与蘘荷。

Fragrant quan, hui and shegan are dug up, while goosefoot, bean leaves and wild ginger are hoed and tended.

惜今世其何殊兮，远近思而不同。

Alas, how the men of this age differ, the wise from the foolish; their thoughts reach far or near and their counsels diverge.

或沉沦其无所达兮，或清激其无所通。

Some sink into the common run and are trapped without reaching anything; some strive for clarity and, being upright, find no way through.

哀余生之不当兮，独蒙毒而逢尤。

I grieve that my life did not fall in an enlightened age that raises the worthy; alone I suffer bitterness and meet with blame.

虽謇謇以申志兮，君乖差而屏之。

Though I loyally and boldly declare my purpose again and again, the king is at odds with me and casts me aside.

诚惜芳之菲菲兮，反以兹为腐也。

I truly cherish the rich fragrance I wear, yet the king takes it for the stench of rot.

怀椒聊之蔎蔎兮，乃逢纷以罹诟也。

I carry fragrant pepper in my bosom, yet I have met a troubled age and suffer the disgrace of slander.

叹曰：

The lament says:

嘉皇既殁终不返兮，山中幽险郢路远兮。

The good king, King Huai of Chu, has died in Qin and will never return; the mountains are deep and perilous, and the road to Ying is far.

谗人諓諓孰可愬兮，征夫罔极谁可语兮。

The slanderers chatter their clever words, so to whom can I complain? The traveller's sorrow has no end, and with whom can he speak?

行吟累欷声喟喟兮，怀忧含戚何侘傺兮。

I walk and chant, sighing again and again with heavy breath; bearing grief and holding sorrow, how dejected and forlorn I am!