Thinking of Antiquity

冥冥深林兮，树木郁郁。

Dark and gloomy is the deep forest, its trees dense and luxuriant.

山参差以崭岩兮，阜杳杳以蔽日。

The mountains rise jagged and sheer, and the dim hills hide the sun.

悲余心之悁悁兮，目眇眇而遗泣。

My heart is sore with grief; I gaze far into the distance and my tears keep falling.

风骚屑以摇木兮，云吸吸以湫戾。

The wind rustles and shakes the trees; the clouds drift and curl, rolling one after another.

悲余生之无欢兮，愁倥傯于山陆。

I grieve that my life holds no joy, worn and troubled among the hills and wilds.

旦徘徊于长阪兮，夕彷徨而独宿。

At dawn I pace the long slope; at dusk I wander lost and sleep alone in the valley.

发披披以鬤鬤兮，躬劬劳而瘏悴。

My hair hangs loose and tangled; my body is spent with toil, sick and worn.

魂俇俇而南行兮，泣霑襟而濡袂。

My soul hurries south in fright; my tears wet my collar and soak my sleeves.

心婵媛而无告兮，口噤闭而不言。

My heart is wrung with pain and I have no one to tell, so I shut my mouth and say nothing.

违郢都之旧闾兮，回湘、沅而远迁。

I leave the old lanes of my home in the capital Ying, and wind along the Xiang and the Yuan into distant exile.

念余邦之横陷兮，宗鬼神之无次。

I think how my country will be brought to ruin, and the ghosts and spirits of my clan's ancestors will lose their order of sacrifice.

闵先嗣之中绝兮，心惶惑而自悲。

I mourn that the line of my forefathers is cut off midway in me; my heart is bewildered and I grieve in secret.

聊浮游于山陿兮，步周流于江畔。

For now I drift among the mountain gorges and stroll along the banks of the great river.

临深水而长啸兮，且倘佯而氾观。

Facing the deep water I give a long cry, and for a while I roam about and gaze on all sides.

兴离骚之微文兮，冀灵修之壹悟。

I compose the Li Sao with its veiled remonstrance, hoping my lord, the Divine Cultivated One, may one day awaken.

还余车于南郢兮，复往轨于初古。

Let my chariot return to Ying in the south, and let me follow again the ancient track of the earliest kings.

道修远其难迁兮，伤余心之不能已。

The road is long and far and hard to travel back, yet my heart aches for the king and cannot cease.

背三五之典刑兮，绝洪范之辟纪。

The king turns his back on the constant laws of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and cuts off the rules laid down in the Great Plan.

播规矩以背度兮，错权衡而任意。

He throws away compass and square and breaks with measure; he sets aside the balance and acts on whim.

操绳墨而放弃兮，倾容幸而侍侧。

Those who hold the carpenter's line of law are cast off, while cringing flatterers who have won favour wait at the king's side.

甘棠枯于丰草兮，藜棘树于中庭。

The sweet pear tree withers in the rank grass, while thistles and thorns are planted all over the courtyard.

西施斥于北宫兮，仳倠倚于弥楹。

The beauty Xi Shi is banished to the rear palace, while the ugly Pisui leans between the pillars and attends the king.

乌获戚而骖乘兮，燕公操于马圉。

The strongman Wu Huo is cherished and rides beside the king in his chariot, while the worthy Duke of Shao, lord of Yan, is set to tend horses.

蒯聩登于清府兮，咎繇弃而在野。

Kuai Kui, the unfilial heir of Wei, mounts the pure temple to hold the reins of state, while the sage Gaoyao is cast out into the wilds.

盖见兹以永叹兮，欲登阶而狐疑。

Seeing this I sigh long; I would mount the steps to remonstrate, yet my heart wavers in doubt.

乘白水而高骛兮，因徙弛而长词。

I will ride the clear white water and race far away, and so withdraw and take a long farewell.

叹曰：

The lament says:

倘佯垆阪沼水深兮，容与汉渚涕淫淫兮，锺牙已死谁为声兮？

I linger on the black-earth slopes of Mount Changyang, where the pool lies deep; I tarry on the islets of the Han river while tears stream down; Zhong Ziqi and Boya are dead, so who will make music for me?

纤阿不御焉舒情兮，曾哀悽欷心离离兮，还顾高丘泣如洒兮。

Without Xian'e, the master driver, at the reins, how can I give my feelings vent? Again and again I sob in sorrow and my heart is torn apart; I look back at the high hills of Chu and my tears fall like scattered water.