Shi Jing, The Book of Odes: Lessons from the states, Odes Of Bei

[x_los]

This is a longer chapter than the previous two, and people are still catching up with the last two chapters/acclimating to the format. Thus we'll only do one chapter this week.

I'm going to post this week's poem translations in the body of the discussion to make commenting a bit easier. 

Get your 'odes of bae' jokes out early, before the rush.

Comments

37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[x_los]

旄丘之葛兮、何誕之節兮。
叔兮伯兮、何多日也。

The dolichos on that high and sloping mound; -
How wide apart are [now] its joints!
O ye uncles,
Why have ye delayed these many days?

何其處也、必有與也。
何其久也、必有以也。

Why do they rest without stirring?
It must be they expect allies.
Why do they prolong the time?
There must be a reason for their conduct.

狐裘蒙戎、匪車不東。
叔兮伯兮、靡所與同。

Our fox-furs are frayed and worn.
Came our carriages not eastwards?
O ye uncles,
You do not sympathize with us.

瑣兮尾兮、流離之子。
叔兮伯兮、褎如充耳。

Fragments, and a remnant,
Children of dispersion [are we]!
O ye uncles,
Notwithstanding your full robes, your ears are stopped.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[forestofglory]

I'm once again noticing the textiles. (If first are even textiles) Anyone know more about what's with the foxfurs here? Do they have some spefic sybomic meaning?

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[aeriallon]

My dumb poetry take is that they're elegant and fancy but here have become worn/tired, as if something was once great and noble but has now fallen in stature. Like the regard of the uncles for the speaker/s? But who are the uncles? Why aren't they showing up? I really don't get this one.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[forestofglory]

That makes sense, thanks! I don't know about the uncles.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[aeriallon]

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[x_los]

"How wide apart are [now] its joints!" what joints?

So I guess they've been routed/displaced and are refugees now, and their overlords have yet to come to their relief. At best, it's because they're awaiting allies (not particularly RUSHING to help, even if this is the case). At worst, despite the full robes of office they bear and the responsibility for those under them that ought to attend these, their overlords have decided they're expendable and betrayed the poet, and will not come relieve them at all. I think.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[superborb]

Baidu says they show that it's winter.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[forestofglory]

That makes sense, thank you!

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[aeriallon]

omg it's dolichos again, and every time i still misread it as "doritos"

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[x_los]

EXACTLY my thought. Well, not--the doritos. But.

Re: 37. 旄丘 - Mao Qiu

[superborb]

Baidu says the modern consensus is that this was written by people in exile who asked for the emperor's help and criticizing him for not sending help.