Resentful Thoughts

惟郁郁之忧毒兮，志坎壈而不违。

My heart is heavy with grief and pain, yet though I am thwarted and unrecognised my will never departs from loyalty and good faith.

身憔悴而考旦兮，日黄昏而长悲。

Haggard in body and heart, I lie awake from night until dawn; when the sun sinks into dusk I weep again at length.

闵空宇之孤子兮，哀枯杨之冤雏。

I pity the fatherless child in the empty house, and grieve for the trapped fledgling on the withered poplar.

孤雌吟于高墉兮，鸣鸠栖于桑榆。

The widowed hen bird cries on the high wall, while the turtle dove coos and flaps, perched in the thick mulberry and elm.

玄蝯失于潜林兮，独偏弃而远放。

The black ape that has strayed from the deep forest is left alone, cast aside and banished far away.

征夫劳于周行兮，处妇愤而长望。

The traveller toils on the great road, while the wife at home frets with resentment and gazes long into the distance.

申诚信而罔违兮，情素洁于纽帛。

Again and again I affirm my good faith and never stray from it; my feelings are plain and pure as a bundle of white silk.

光明齐于日月兮，文采耀燿于玉石。

My clear understanding matches the light of sun and moon, and my writing shines like patterned jade.

伤压次而不发兮，思沉抑而不扬。

I grieve that I am held down and robbed of my rightful place, unable to show my virtue; my thoughts are suppressed and cannot rise.

芳懿懿而终败兮，名靡散而不彰。

My sweet virtue is rich in fragrance, yet it will perish in the end; my name will scatter and never shine for later ages.

背玉门以奔骛兮，蹇离尤而干诟。

I turn my back on the king's jade gate and gallop away; for my stubborn loyalty I incur blame and bring disgrace on myself.

若龙逢之沉首兮，王子比干之逢醢。

Like the loyal Guan Longfeng of Xia, beheaded and sunk, and Prince Bi Gan of Yin, whose heart was cut out and body minced.

念社稷之几危兮，反为雠而见怨。

Mindful that the altars of state were near collapse I spoke out, yet the courtiers treated me as an enemy and resented me.

思国家之离沮兮，躬获愆而结难。

I worried that the state's order would fall apart, yet for this I myself was found guilty and bound up in disaster.

若青蝇之伪质兮，晋骊姬之反情。

The slanderers are like blue flies that turn white to black, and like Li Ji of Jin, who twisted the truth to frame Prince Shensheng.

恐登阶之逢殆兮，故退伏于末庭。

Fearing danger if I mount the king's steps to remonstrate, I withdraw and hide in the far courtyard.

孽臣之号咷兮，本朝芜而不治。

The wicked ministers gather and bawl together, and the court lies overgrown and ungoverned.

犯颜色而触谏兮，反蒙辜而被疑。

I braved the king's displeasure and broke the taboo to remonstrate, yet I was charged with guilt and met with suspicion.

菀蘼芜与菌若兮，渐藁本于洿渎。

Fragrant miwu and junruo are heaped up and left, and the herb gaoben is soaked in a filthy ditch.

淹芳芷于腐井兮，弃鸡骇于筐簏。

Sweet angelica is steeped in a stinking well, and the hen-startling rhinoceros horn is thrown into a bamboo hamper.

执棠谿以刜蓬兮，秉干将以割肉。

The Tangxi blade is used to hack weeds, and the famous sword Ganjiang to carve cooked meat.

筐泽泻以豹鞟兮，破荆和以继筑。

A leopard-hide bag is stuffed full of the rank weed zexie, and the jade of Bian He of Chu is smashed to patch a pounding pestle.

时溷浊犹未清兮，世殽乱犹未察。

The times are turbid and not yet cleared; the age confuses good with evil and has not yet seen clearly.

欲容与以俟时兮，惧年岁之既晏。

I would wander at ease and wait for an enlightened ruler, but I fear the years are already late and age is upon me.

顾屈节以从流兮，心巩巩而不夷。

Were I to bend my upright principles and drift with the crowd, my heart would stay cramped and knotted, never at peace.

宁浮沅而驰骋兮，下江湘以邅回。

Better to float on the Yuan and race away, then run down the Yangtze and the Xiang, wheeling along with the stream.

叹曰：

The lament says:

山中槛槛余伤怀兮，征夫皇皇其孰依兮，

In the hills the wheels rumble and my heart aches; the traveller is anxious and afraid, and whom can he lean on?

经营原野杳冥冥兮，乘骐骋骥舒吾情兮，

I cross the wild plains from north to south and east to west, where all is dim and dark; I would ride swift steeds and give my feelings rein.

归骸旧邦莫谁语兮，长辞远逝乘湘去兮。

I would have my bones return to my old homeland, but there is no one to tell; so I take a long farewell and go far away, riding the Xiang.