It's interesting because I think I would have called that "lacking kindness," but vicious does fit better in English in a poetic sense.
The second line of each couplet has a repeating structure as emphasis that is a nuance missed in the English.
I might choose to go: "a man without kindness, I regarded him as brother." "a woman without kindness, I regarded her noble."
But then, I'm uncertain I understand the entire poem, and am only suggesting what reads better to me in English with some understanding of the Chinese itself.
Re: 49. 鶉之奔奔 - Chun Zhi Ben Ben
The second line of each couplet has a repeating structure as emphasis that is a nuance missed in the English.
I might choose to go:
"a man without kindness, I regarded him as brother."
"a woman without kindness, I regarded her noble."
But then, I'm uncertain I understand the entire poem, and am only suggesting what reads better to me in English with some understanding of the Chinese itself.
In order to imitate the repetition?