詩 Shī Gedicht(en)

De gedichten zijn in het Duits vertaald door Erwin von Zach (1958), Die Chinesische Anthologie, Vol 1

Engelse vertaling van enkele gedichten

Za shi

Vertaling Zá shī Unclassified poem door Burton Watson:

職事相填委，Office work: a wearisome jumble;
文墨紛消散。ink drafts : a Crosshatch of deletions and smears.
馳翰未暇食，Racing the writing brush, no time to eat,
日昃不知晏。sun slanting down but never a break;
沈迷簿領書，swamped and muddled in records and reports,
回回自昏亂。head spinning till it's senseless and numb --
釋此出西域，I leave off and go west of the wall,
登高且游觀。climb the height and let my eyes roam
方塘含白水，square embankments hold back the clear water,
中有鳧與雁。wild ducks and geese at rest in the middle --
安得肅肅羽，Where can I get a pair of whirring wings
從爾浮波瀾。so I can join you to bob on the waves ?

(Watson 1971 p45)

Zèng Cóngdì sān shǒu

Vertaling Zèng Cóngdì sān shǒu (Three Poems Presented to my Younger Cousin) door Frodsham & Cheng (1967) An Anthology of Chinese Verse

一
汎汎東流水，Gliding to the east that flowing water,
磷磷水中石。Murmuring around the rocks that breast the stream.
蘋藻生其涯，Along its banks, duckweed and algae grow,
華紛何擾弱？Over clustered leaves and flowers the water swirls.
采之薦宗廟，We cull them to present to the royal temple,
可以羞嘉客。They may be offered to the honoured guest.
豈無園中葵，Not that there are no sunflowers in our gardens,
懿此出深澤。We prize these since they come from the depths of the marshes.

二
亭亭山上松，The pines on the mountain tower on high,
瑟瑟谷中風。The valley-wind is blowing wildly.
風聲一何盛，Furious the crying of the wind,
松枝一何勁！Sturdy the branches of the pines.
冰霜正慘淒，Though ice and frost bring bitter suffering,
終歲常端正。To the end of the year they remain unchanged.
豈不羅凝寒，The icy cold they Dear is real enough,
松柏有本性！But pine and cypress have a constant heart.

Toelichting Frodsham & Cheng
regel 8: A tribute to his cousin's loyalty.

三
鳳凰集南嶽，The phoenix lights upon the Southern Hills,
徘徊孤竹根。And wanders among the roots of lonely bamboos.
於心有不厭，And yet its heart is still dissatisfied,
奮翅凌紫氛。So spreading its wings it crosses the purple air.
豈不常勤苦？Of course this crossing costs him painful toil,
羞與黃雀群。Yet he will not mingle with the yellow birds.
何時當來儀？When will the phoenix come back again?
將須聖明君。Only when a saintly emperor reigns.

Toelichting Frodsham & Cheng
Regel 1
- A legendary mountain range mentioned in the Shan-hai ching.
- The feng-bird which has nothing in common with the Western phoenix beyond its mythical quality—is said to live on the Cinnabar Cave mountain in this range.