Resenting the Age

世沉淖而难论兮，俗岒峨而嵾嵯。

The people of the age are sunk in the mire of profit, and right and wrong can no longer be argued; custom confuses praise and blame, uneven and askew.

清泠泠而歼灭兮，溷湛湛而日多。

The pure and clean are cast aside and wiped out, while the greedy and foul grow more numerous day by day.

枭鸮既以成群兮，玄鹤弭翼而屏移。

Now that the owls have gathered in flocks and press forward together, the black crane folds its wings and withdraws.

蓬艾亲入御于床笫兮，马兰踸踔而日加。

Tumbleweed and mugwort are carried into the bedchamber and laid on the sleeping mat, and the rank horse-orchid shoots up and spreads daily.

弃捐药芷与杜衡兮，余柰世之不知芳何？

Angelica and asarum, the fragrant herbs, are thrown away unused; what can I do when the world cannot recognise fragrance?

何周道之平易兮，然芜秽而险戏。

How level and easy was the Way of Zhou, yet it is called overgrown and foul, perilous and steep.

高阳无故而委尘兮，唐虞点灼而毁议。

The Emperor Zhuanxu of Gaoyang was smeared with dust for no cause, and Yao of Tang and Shun of Yu were marked and branded with slander.

谁使正其真是兮，虽有八师而不可为。

Who could set right what is true and what is false? Even with the eight worthy ministers of Yao and Shun nothing could be done.

皇天保其高兮，后土持其久。

August Heaven keeps its loftiness and Sovereign Earth holds to its endurance, and neither can be shaken.

服清白以逍遥兮，偏与乎玄英异色。

Clothed in purity I wander at ease, and my colour is utterly unlike the deep black of the greedy and corrupt.

西施媞媞而不得见兮，嫫母勃屑而日侍。

Xi Shi, lovely and serene, cannot gain an audience, while the ugly Mo Mu shuffles forward on her knees to wait upon the king every day.

桂蠹不知所淹留兮，蓼虫不知徙乎葵菜。

The borer in the cassia tree does not know where it should stay, and the insect on the bitter smartweed does not know to move to the sweet mallow.

处湣湣之浊世兮，今安所达乎吾志。

I live in a dark and muddied age; where now can I carry out my purpose?

意有所载而远逝兮，固非众人之所识。

My heart carries a loyal purpose and I would go far away, which the common crowd could never understand.

骥踌躇于弊輂兮，遇孙阳而得代。

The thoroughbred harnessed to a broken cart balks and will not go, until it meets Sun Yang, the horse judge Bole, and is given a fit carriage.

吕望穷困而不聊生兮，遭周文而舒志。

Lü Wang was so poor he could scarcely live, until he met King Wen of Zhou and his aims found room to unfold.

宁戚饭牛而商歌兮，桓公闻而弗置。

Ning Qi fed his oxen and sang a mournful song in the shang mode, and Duke Huan of Qi, hearing him, would not pass him over but took him into his service.

路室女之方桑兮，孔子过之以自侍。

The girl at the wayside inn was gathering mulberry leaves; Confucius passed by, approved her steadfast virtue, and took her into his service.

吾独乖剌而无当兮，心悼怵而耄思。

I alone am at odds with my times and meet with no one who fits me; my heart grieves and trembles, and my thoughts are in disorder.

思比干之恲恲兮，哀子胥之慎事。

I think of Bi Gan in his forthright loyalty, and grieve for Wu Zixu, who served his king with care and did not forget the state even in death.

悲楚人之和氏兮，献宝玉以为石。

I lament Bian He, the man of Chu, who offered up precious jade and had it judged a stone.

遇厉武之不察兮，羌两足以毕斮。

He met King Li and King Wu of Chu, who would not look closely, and both his feet were cut off.

小人之居势兮，视忠正之何若？

When petty men hold power, what do they take the loyal and upright for?

改前圣之法度兮，喜嗫嚅而妄作。

They alter the laws of the former sages, delight in whispering together over private gain, and recklessly fabricate falsehoods.

亲谗谀而疏贤圣兮，讼谓闾娵为丑恶。

The king draws slanderers and flatterers close and keeps the wise and worthy at a distance, while the clamouring crowd declares the beauty Lüju ugly.

愉近习而蔽远兮，孰知察其黑白？

The king delights in his familiar attendants and shuts out the worthy who are far from him; who then can tell black from white?

卒不得效其心容兮，安眇眇而无所归薄。

In the end I cannot offer up my heart and my person; I gaze into the distance and find nowhere to rest.

专精爽以自明兮，晦冥冥而壅蔽。

With single-minded devotion and all the keenness of my senses I try to make my loyalty plain, yet darkness closes over me and I am walled off.

年既已过太半兮，然埳轲而留滞。

More than half my years have passed, yet I am still stuck fast on a rough road, unmet and unmoving.

欲高飞而远集兮，恐离罔而灭败。

I would fly high and settle far away, but fear to fall foul of the law's net and be destroyed.

独冤抑而无极兮，伤精神而寿夭。

Alone I bear a wrong that has no end; it wears away my spirit and will cut my life short.

皇天既不纯命兮，余生终无所依。

Since August Heaven will not grant me a whole and favourable fate, my life will have nothing to rest on to the end.

愿自沉于江流兮，绝横流而径逝。

I wish to sink myself in the river's current, cross the rushing stream and go straight away.

宁为江海之泥涂兮，安能久见此浊世？

Better to become mud at the bottom of the rivers and seas than to go on looking at this filthy age.