A Distant Journey

悲余性之不可改兮，屡惩艾而不迻。

I grieve that my loyal nature cannot be changed; though slanderers have punished and chastened me again and again, my heart will not shift.

服觉皓以殊俗兮，貌揭揭以巍巍。

My dress is plainly bright and pure, unlike the common fashion; my bearing is lofty and my presence grand and towering.

譬若王侨之乘云兮，载赤霄而凌太清。

Like the immortal Wangzi Qiao riding the clouds, borne on red mist and soaring over the Great Purity of heaven.

欲与天地参寿兮，与日月而比荣。

I would share the long life of heaven and earth, and match the glory of sun and moon, my name living on in later ages.

登昆仑而北首兮，悉灵圉而来谒。

I climb Mount Kunlun and face north towards heaven's gate, and the immortal Lingyu all come to pay their respects.

选鬼神于太阴兮，登阊阖于玄阙。

I choose the upright among the ghosts and spirits of the Great Shadow to go with me, mount the heavenly gate Changhe and enter the dark palace towers.

回朕车俾西引兮，褰虹旗于玉门。

I turn my chariot round to drive west, and raise my rainbow banner high on Mount Yumen.

驰六龙于三危兮，朝西灵于九滨。

I drive my six dragons past Mount Sanwei in the west, and summon the spirits of the west to gather on the nine-bend shore.

结余轸于西山兮，横飞谷以南征。

I wheel my chariot at the Western Mountain and cross the Flying Valley, the sun's own road, heading south.

绝都广以直指兮，历祝融于硃冥。

I cut straight across the wilds of Duguang in the south-west, and call on Zhurong, god of fire, in the red wilds of Zhuming.

枉玉衡于炎火兮，委两馆于咸唐。

I bend my jade-trimmed yoke at the land of blazing fire, then turn aside to Xianchi, the pool of the sun, and lodge there twice.

贯澒濛以东朅兮，维六龙于扶桑。

I pierce the primal vapour of Hongmeng and go east, and tether my six dragons to the divine tree Fusang.

周流览于四海兮，志升降以高驰。

I roam and survey all beyond the four seas, my mind rising and sinking as I race on high in search of worthy men.

徵九神于回极兮，建虹采以招指。

I summon the nine spirits of heaven to meet where the pole star turns, and set up my rainbow banner to signal in all directions.

驾鸾凤以上游兮，从玄鹤与鹪明。

I drive luan birds and phoenixes to roam upward, with the black crane and the divine bird Jiaoming following behind.

孔鸟飞而送迎兮，腾群鹤于瑶光。

Peacocks fly to and fro to greet and escort me, and flocks of cranes soar beside Yaoguang, the star of the Dipper's handle.

排帝宫与罗囿兮，升县圃以眩灭。

I push open the palace of the heavenly Emperor and the celestial park Luoyou, and climb the Hanging Garden of Kunlun, where my eyes are dazzled and my clear senses fade.

结琼枝以杂佩兮，立长庚以继日。

I bind branches of jade into my girdle pendants, and set up the evening star Changgeng to carry on the light of the sun.

凌惊雷以轶骇电兮，缀鬼谷于北辰。

I ride over the startling thunder and outstrip the terrifying lightning, and bind the host of ghosts beneath the pole star so they cannot harm the worthy.

鞭风伯使先驱兮，囚灵玄于虞渊。

I whip Fengbo, the wind god, to clear the way ahead, and imprison Lingxuan, the Dark Emperor, in Yuyuan where the sun sets.

遡高风以低佪兮，览周流于朔方。

I breast the high wind, hovering and circling, and roam to survey the lands of the north.

就颛顼而敶辞兮，考玄冥于空桑。

I go before the sage emperor Zhuanxu to state my case, and on Mount Kongsang question Xuanming, god of the north, why he harms the worthy.

旋车逝于崇山兮，奏虞舜于苍梧。

I turn my chariot towards Mount Chongshan, where Huandou was banished, and lay my grievance before Shun of Yu at Cangwu.

济杨舟于会稽兮，就申胥于五湖。

I cross in a light poplar boat to Mount Kuaiji, and seek out Wu Zixu among the Five Lakes.

见南郢之流风兮，殒余躬于沅湘。

Seeing the customs of Ying in the south, where the worthy are envied and harmed, I cast my body into the Yuan and the Xiang.

望旧邦之黯黮兮，时溷浊其犹未央。

I gaze at my old country sunk in darkness; the age is turbid and its end is nowhere in sight.

怀兰茝之芬芳兮，妒被离而折之。

I hold the fragrance of orchid and angelica to my breast, but the envious tear them apart and break them.

张绛帷以襜襜兮，风邑邑而蔽之。

The king spreads his crimson curtains, bright and fluttering, but the wind of his rule is faint and feeble and only screens him from sight.

日暾暾其西舍兮，阳焱焱而复顾。

The sun sinks glowing to its rest in the west, yet its last rays flicker and glance back.

聊假日以须臾兮，何骚骚而自故。

For a moment I borrow the daylight to take my ease, so why is my heart as troubled and restless as before?

叹曰：

The lament says:

譬彼蛟龙乘云浮兮，汎淫澒溶纷若雾兮。

Like the dragon that rides the clouds and floats, drifting free and surging vast, swirling like mist.

潺湲轇轕雷动电发馺高举兮。

Its form flows like running water, crossing and tangling, and with thunder's roll and lightning's flash it leaps swiftly aloft.

升虚凌冥沛浊浮清入帝宫兮，摇翘奋羽驰风骋雨游无穷兮。

It rises into the void and crosses the dark heights, casts off the foul and floats to the pure, and enters the palace of the Emperor of heaven; shaking its tail plumes and beating its wings, it drives wind and rain and roams without end.