First Exile

平生于国兮，长于原野。

I, Qu Ping, was born in the capital of Chu, yet now I grow old on the distant wild plains.

言语讷譅兮，又无彊辅。

My speech is halting and clumsy, unskilled in rhetoric, and I have no powerful allies to support me.

浅智褊能兮，闻见又寡。

My wisdom is shallow, my ability narrow, and my knowledge and experience are scant besides.

数言便事兮，见怨门下。

Again and again I spoke of measures that would benefit the state, only to earn the resentment of those close to the king.

王不察其长利兮，卒见弃乎原野。

The king could not see the lasting benefit in them, and in the end I was cast out into the wilderness.

伏念思过兮，无可改者。

I bow my head and search my conduct for faults, yet find nothing that needs correcting.

群众成朋兮，上浸以惑。

Flatterers band together in factions, and the king is gradually deluded by them without knowing it.

巧佞在前兮，贤者灭息。

The smooth-tongued flatterers stand day and night before the king, while worthy men swallow their words and let their outspoken spirit die away.

尧、舜圣已没兮，孰为忠直？

The sage kings Yao and Shun are long dead; who now will offer loyal and honest counsel?

高山崔巍兮，水流汤汤。

The high mountains tower and never crumble; the rivers flow on broad and full and never run dry.

死日将至兮，与麋鹿同坑。

The day of my death draws near; I shall end in a pit of the wilds, alongside the deer and elk.

塊兮鞠，当道宿，举世皆然兮，余将谁告？

Alone I crouch and lie down to sleep in the middle of the road; the whole world behaves with such falseness, so to whom can I tell my grief?

斥逐鸿鹄兮，近习鸱枭，斩伐橘柚兮，列树苦桃。

The king drives away the great swans and geese and keeps the owls close as familiars; he fells the fine orange and pomelo trees and plants rows of bitter peach in their place.

便娟之修竹兮，寄生乎江潭。

The graceful, slender bamboo makes its home beside the deep pool of the river.

上葳蕤而防露兮，下泠泠而来风。

Above, its foliage grows thick and shelters from the dew; below, it is cool and fresh where the breeze comes through.

孰知其不合兮，若竹柏之异心。

Who could know that my heart and the king's would never agree, as different as the hollow bamboo and the solid cypress?

往者不可及兮，来者不可待。

The sage kings of the past, like Yao and Shun, are beyond my reach, and a worthy ruler to come I cannot live to await.

悠悠苍天兮，莫我振理。

In deep sorrow I cry out to the blue heavens, yet no one comes to rescue me or right my wrongs.

窃怨君之不寤兮，吾独死而後已。

In secret I resent that the king will never awaken; I can only hold to my loyalty alone and cease only when I die in the wilds.