Cherishing the Worthy

览屈氏之离骚兮，心哀哀而怫郁。

I read the Li Sao written by Qu Yuan, and my heart aches with sorrow and pent-up indignation.

声嗷嗷以寂寥兮，顾仆夫之憔悴。

I cry out aloud, but the hills are silent and empty; I look back at my carriage men and their faces are worn with care.

拨谄谀而匡邪兮，切淟涊之流俗。

I would root out the flatterers, straighten what is crooked, and scrape away the filthy customs of the age.

荡渨涹之奸咎兮，夷蠢蠢之溷浊。

I would wash away the foul and treacherous, and wipe out the swarming, ill-bred and turbid crowd.

怀芬香而挟蕙兮，佩江蓠之婓婓。

I carry fragrance in my bosom and hold hui grass under my arm, wearing jiangli whose scent drifts to and fro.

握申椒与杜若兮，冠浮云之峨峨。

I grasp pepper of Shen and the herb duruo, and wear a lofty cap that rises high into the floating clouds.

登长陵而四望兮，览芷圃之蠡蠡。

I climb the great mound of Changling and look out on every side, and see the beds of angelica standing in clear rows.

游兰皋与蕙林兮，睨玉石之嵾嵯。

I roam the orchid bank and the hui wood, and glance at jade and common stone jumbled together unevenly.

扬精华以炫燿兮，芳郁渥而纯美。

I let the essence of my senses shine out in brilliance; my fragrance is rich and deep, pure and fine.

结桂树之旖旎兮，纫荃蕙与辛夷。

I bind the lush and graceful boughs of the cassia tree, and string quan grass, hui grass and magnolia together.

芳若兹而不御兮，捐林薄而菀死。

Fragrant and fine as this, yet unused, I shall be cast into the thickets to wither away and die.

驱子侨之奔走兮，申徒狄之赴渊。

I would race after the immortal Wangzi Qiao, or follow the worthy Shentu Di, who threw himself into the deep.

若由夷之纯美兮，介子推之隐山。

Like Xu You and Bo Yi, who in pure virtue declined the throne, or Jie Zitui, who hid himself in the mountains.

晋申生之离殃兮，荆和氏之泣血。

Prince Shensheng of Jin met with calamity, and Bian He of Chu, maimed for his jade, wept tears of blood.

吴申胥之抉眼兮，王子比干之横废。

Wu Zixu of Wu had his eyes gouged out, and Prince Bi Gan of Yin was wrongfully cast aside and killed.

欲卑身而下体兮，心隐恻而不置。

I would lower myself and bow to the common way, but my heart aches within and will not give up what is right.

方圜殊而不合兮，钩绳用而异态。

Square and round differ in nature and cannot fit; the curved hook and the straight line serve different ends and take different shapes.

欲俟时于须臾兮，日阴曀其将暮。

I would wait a little longer for a brighter time, but the sun is dim and overcast and evening is near.

时迟迟其日进兮，年忽忽而日度。

The seasons advance slowly day by day, while my years slip swiftly away day by day.

妄周容而入世兮，内距闭而不开。

I would recklessly conform and slip into the world, but inside I resist and stay shut, unable to open.

俟时风之清激兮，愈氛雾其如塺。

I wait for the wind of the age to blow clean and stirring, but the foul mist grows thicker and smothers me like dust.

进雄鸠之耿耿兮，谗介介而蔽之。

I would offer the small honest faith of the cock dove, but the slanderers cut it off and screen it from view.

默顺风以偃仰兮，尚由由而进之。

I would silently follow the wind, bowing and rising with the crowd, yet still I hesitate and will not advance.

心懭悢以冤结兮，情舛错以曼忧。

My heart is despondent and bound with grievance; my feelings are in confusion and my sorrow stretches on.

搴薜荔于山野兮，采撚支于中洲。

I pluck climbing fig in the mountain wilds and gather the fragrant yanzhi on the islet midstream.

望高丘而叹涕兮，悲吸吸而长怀。

I gaze towards the high hills of Chu, sighing and weeping; I sob with grief and long endlessly.

孰契契而委栋兮，日晻晻而下颓。

Who else frets so anxiously for the state and would offer a pillar's counsel? Yet the sun is dim and sinking down.

叹曰：

The lament says:

江湘油油长流汩兮，挑揄扬汰荡迅疾兮。

The Yangtze and the Xiang flow on, smooth and far; stirred and tossed, the waters surge and race away.

忧心展转愁怫郁兮，冤结未舒长隐忿兮，

My anxious heart tosses sleepless, oppressed with grief; my wrongs are unrelieved and I nurse my anger long.

丁时逢殃可奈何兮，劳心悁悁涕滂沱兮。

Born into this age and meeting calamity, what can I do? My heart toils in resentment, and my tears pour down like rain.