Nineteen Old Poems: Week 1 of 2

[x_los]

* The 'due date' for this batch is the week of August 18th: I just thought I'd make the post now so that people can trickle in whenever. There were two votes in favour of East Asia Student's translations, so that's what I've gone with. If you prefer or would like to bring another translation into the discussion, please feel free. 

* Chapter Five of How to Read Chinese Poetry is specifically about the Nineteen Old Poems.

* Every week I search the poems' English results to see if I can find any scholarship or neat bits and pop the results in Resources. Here is this week's collection.

* Remember you can also look at How to Read Chinese Poetry in Context, though it doesn't specifically treat this collection.

* IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN or have other ideas, please let me know on this post.

* I found the best option for the weekly reminder emails, via Gmail. The external service options are more involved than our purposes require. Does anyone know anything about how to arrange an Apps Script? Basically all it has to do is tell ten people, on Saturdays, to come and get their juice/poems.

Until someone knows what to do there, I'll send out manual messages weekly. If you'd like to receive these and are not getting them, please let me know.

Comments

8. 冉冉孤生竹 - Frail Bamboo Growing Alone

[x_los]

冉冉孤生竹
rǎn rǎn gū shēng zhú
[frail] [frail] [alone] [grow] [bamboo]
Frail bamboo growing alone,

結根泰山阿
jié gēn tài shān ā
[tie] [root] [Tai] [mountain] [_a_]
tying its roots into the slopes of Mt. Tai.

與君為新婚
yǔ jūn wèi xīn hūn
[to] [you] [be] [new] [marry]
I am newly wed to you, sir;

兔絲附女蘿
tù sī fù nǚ luó
[vine][] [attach] [moss][]
a vine clinging to moss.

兔絲生有時
tù sī shēng yǒu shí
[vine][] [grow] [has] [season]
A vine grows in its season,

夫婦會有宜
fū fù huì yǒu yi
[husband] [wife] [union] [has] [proper]
and the union of marriage has its moment.

千里遠結婚
qiān lǐ yuǎn jié hūn
[thousand] [_li_] [far] [tie] [marry]
One thousand li is a long distance for marriage,

悠悠隔山陂
yōu yōu gé shān pō
[long] [long] [separate] [mountain] [rugged]
far away, separated by mountain slopes.

思君令人老
sī jūn lìng rén lǎo
[think of] [you] [make] [person] [old]
Thinking of you makes me grow old;

軒車來何遲
xuān chē lái hé chí
[carriage] [chariot] [come] [how] [late]
how slow is your carriage to arrive!

傷彼蕙蘭花
shāng bǐ huì lán huā
[hurt] [those] [fragrant orchid][][]
I am saddened by those fragrant orchids,

含英揚光輝
hán yīng yáng guāng huī
[contain] [glory] [scatter] [ray] [bright]
full of glory, scattering brilliant light.

過時而不采
guò shí ér bù cǎi
[pass] [season] [yet] [not] [pick]
If the season passes and they are not picked,

將隨秋草萎
jiāng suí qiū cǎo wēi
[will] [follow] [autumn] [grass] [wither]
they will wither with the autumn grasses.

君亮執高節
jūn liàng zhí gāo jié
[you] [light] [grasp] [high] [moral integrity]
If you truly hold such high moral standards,

賤妾亦何為
jiàn qiè yì hé wèi
[lowly] [concubine] [likewise] [what] [do]
what is your humble servant to do?

Re: 8. 冉冉孤生竹 - Frail Bamboo Growing Alone

[x_los]

So is this, you married me, so fuck me? Like is that what's up?

Re: 8. 冉冉孤生竹 - Frail Bamboo Growing Alone

[ann712]

I think so. Gather my rosebuds you fool they are fading.

Re: 8. 冉冉孤生竹 - Frail Bamboo Growing Alone

[superborb]

Apparently could be either an engaged or already married couple, though I'd read it as the latter..

Re: 8. 冉冉孤生竹 - Frail Bamboo Growing Alone

[superborb]

Baike:

Mt. Tai is meant to just be a generic tall mountain. Instead of slopes, the original is the hollows of the mountain.

'fragrant orchids': she's comparing herself to these plants. The original is two kinds of aromatic herbs (according to Baike anyway??)