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

40. 北門 - Bei Men

[x_los]

出自北門、憂心殷殷。
終窶且貧、莫知我艱。
已焉哉、天實為之、謂之何哉。

I go out at the north gate,
With my heart full of sorrow.
Straitened am I and poor,
And no one takes knowledge of my distress.
So it is!
Heaven has done it; -
What then shall I say?

王事適我、政事一埤益我。
我入自外、室人交徧讁我。
已焉哉、天實為之、謂之何哉。

The king's business comes on me,
And the affairs of our government in increasing measure.
When I come home from abroad,
The members of my family all emulously reproach me.
So it is!
Heaven has done it; -
What then shall I say?

王事敦我、政事一埤遺我。
我入自外、室人交徧摧我。
已焉哉、天實為之、謂之何哉。

The king's business is thrown on me,
And the affairs of our government are left to me more and more.
When I come home from abroad,
The members of my family all emulously thrust at me.
So it is!
Heaven has done it; -
What then shall I say?

Re: 40. 北門 - Bei Men

[aeriallon]

The king's business comes on me,
And the affairs of our government in increasing measure.

the real real

Re: 40. 北門 - Bei Men

[x_los]

'Bei Men' indeed.

emulously: "adj. 1. Eager or ambitious to equal or surpass another. 2. Characterized or prompted by a spirit of rivalry."

I can see ascribing responsibility for the state of national affairs to fate, but your family being little bitches is on them, isn't it?

I guess the point is that you're so chill you roll with it rather than wasting energy reproaching them.