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

Re: 35. 谷風 - Gu Feng

[x_los]

Another translation:

Gu-feng: The Valley Wind
by Arthur Waley
Zip, zip the valley wind,
Bringing darkness, bringing rain.
" Strive to be of one mind;
Let there be no anger between you. "
He who plucks greens, plucks cabbage
Does not judge by the lower parts
In my reputation there is no flaw,
I am yours till death.

Slowly I take the road,
Reluctant at heart
Not far, no, near;
See, you escort me only to the gateway
Who says that sow-thistle is bitter?
It is sweeter than shepherd's-purse.
You feast your new marriage-kin,
As though they were older brothers, were younger brothers.

" It is the Wei that makes the Jing look dirty;
Very clear are its shoals.
You feast your new relations,
And think me no fit company.
" Do not break my dam,
Do not open my fish-traps.
Though for my person you have no regard,
At least pity my brood. "

Where the water was deep
I rafted it, boated it;
Where the water was shallow
I swam it, floated it.
Whether a thing was to be had or no
I strove always to find it.
When any of your people were in trouble
I went on my knees to help them.

Why do you not cherish me,
But rather treat me as an enemy?
You have spoilt my value;
What is used, no merchant will buy.
Once in times of peril, of extremity
With you I shared all troubles.
But now that you are well-nurtured, well-fed,
You treat me as though I were a poison.

I had laid by a good store,
Enough to provide against the winter;
You feast your new kin,
And that provision is eaten up
Then you were violent, were enraged,
And it gave me great pain.
You do not think of the past;
It is only anger that is left.

Re: 35. 谷風 - Gu Feng

[aeriallon]

"Zip, zip" Arthur Waley, no, wyd bb

Re: 35. 谷風 - Gu Feng

[x_los]

魏 , 湜 CLOSER! But sill no. It's never the one you think. The one you think is like fuckin lupus.

Ok so this HORRIBLE guy has finally stabilised this family's financial situation and he's taken a hot new second wife and is neglecting the first wife who helped him through the shitty years. She hopes that at LEAST he will still be good to their kids?

What a fucker.