004 張九齡 – 感遇四首其四

004 張九齡 – 感遇四首其四
004 ZHANG Jiuling – Thoughts IV of IV

中文原文﹕

江南有丹橘，
經冬猶綠林；
豈伊地氣暖？
自有歲寒心。

可以荐嘉客，
奈何阻重深？
運命惟所遇，
循環不可尋。

徒言樹桃李，
此木豈無陰？

.

英文翻譯 / English Translation (2018.07)﹕

South of the Yangtze, there grows a variety of red mandarins.
Whose trees all winter long flourish green,
Is it because of the warmer climes?
But rather it is the cores of such mandarins that withstand the freeze.

Such mandarins are befitting offerings to esteemed guests,
Yet the distance keeps them from markets reach.
One abides by circumstances for such is fate,
Nature ravels not even to seekers who are keen.

Yet the worldly only cared to peach and plum trees cultivate,
Don’t these red mandarins trees provide also shade and foliage of green?

.

英文翻譯 / English Translation (2011)﹕

South of the Yangtze, a kind of red mandarin grows.
Whose trees all winter long have leaves that remain green,
One would think it is because of the warmer land that bears them,
But rather it is the core of the mandarins that is capable of withstanding the freeze.

Such mandarins are befitting offerings to honoured guests,
Yet the distance keeps them from markets reach.
One abides by circumstances for such is fate,
Nature ravels not even to seekers who are keen.

Yet the worldly knows only to grow peach and plum trees,
Haven’t these red mandarins trees also shade and foliage of green?

.

Advertisement