There is a
birchleaf pear
birchleaf pear
with flourishing
leaves. It is alone.
leaves. It is alone.
Abandoned, I
walk forlorn,
walk forlorn,
Left to wonder
why there is no
one else.
one else.
My father is not
my father.
my father.
Alas! I walk
apart—
apart—
But why am I not
his equal?
his equal?
My brothers are
not my brothers.
not my brothers.
They will not
help me.
help me.
There is a
birchleaf pear
birchleaf pear
that fills with
blooms. It is alone.
blooms. It is alone.
Without friends
or relatives,
or relatives,
I walk forlorn. Why
is there
is there
no one else? I
am without family.
am without family.
Alas! I walk
apart—
apart—
But why am I not
their equal?
their equal?
My brothers are
not my brothers.
not my brothers.
They will not
help me.
help me.
From an anonymous poem in the Shijing (Classic of Poetry)
Original Chinese
|
Traditional
|
Simplified
|
Pronunciation
|
|
杕杜
|
杕杜
|
dì
dù |
|
|
|
|
|
有杕之杜，
|
有杕之杜，
|
yǒu
dì zhī dù ， |
|
其葉湑湑。
|
其叶湑湑。
|
qí
yè xǔ xǔ 。 |
|
獨行踽踽。
|
独行踽踽。
|
dú
xíng jǔ jǔ 。 |
|
豈無他人？
|
岂无他人？
|
qǐ
wú tā rén ？ |
|
不如我同父。
|
不如我同父。
|
bù
rú wǒ tóng fù 。 |
|
嗟行之人，
|
嗟行之人，
|
jiē
xíng zhī rén ， |
|
胡不比焉？
|
胡不比焉？
|
hú
bù bǐ yān ？ |
|
人無兄弟，
|
人无兄弟，
|
rén
wú xiōng dì ， |
|
胡不佽焉？
|
胡不佽焉？
|
hú
bù cì yān ？ |
|
有杕之杜，
|
有杕之杜，
|
yǒu
dì zhī dù ， |
|
其葉菁菁。
|
其叶菁菁。
|
qí
yè jīng jīng 。 |
|
獨行煢煢。
|
独行茕茕。
|
dú
xíng qióng qióng 。 |
|
豈無他人？
|
岂无他人？
|
qǐ
wú tā rén？ |
|
不如我同姓。
|
不如我同姓。
|
bù
rú wǒ tóng xìng 。 |
|
嗟行之人，
|
嗟行之人，
|
jiē
xíng zhī rén ， |
|
胡不比焉？
|
胡不比焉？
|
hú
bù bǐ yān ？ |
|
人無兄弟，
|
人无兄弟，
|
rén
wú xiōng dì ， |
|
胡不佽焉？
|
胡不佽焉？
|
hú
bù cì yān？ |
Translation Notes
|
杕杜
|
Alone/long-standing-tree
Birchleaf-pear |
|
|
|
|
有杕之杜，
|
Is
alone/longstanding-tree it birchleaf-pear, |
|
其葉湑湑。
|
Its
leaves abundant abundant. |
|
獨行踽踽。
|
Alone
walk walk-alone walk-alone.
[Alone
walk = solitary] |
|
豈無他人？
|
How
no other person? |
|
不如我同父。
|
Not
like I together-with father.
[Not
like = inferior to] |
|
嗟行之人，
|
Sigh
walk him man, |
|
胡不比焉？
|
Why
not to-compare where?
[Not
to-compare = unlike] |
|
人無兄弟，
|
Man
not elder-brother younger-brother, |
|
胡不佽焉？
|
Why
not help how? |
|
有杕之杜，
|
Is
alone him birchleaf-pear, |
|
其葉菁菁。
|
Its
leaves flower flower. |
|
獨行煢煢。
|
Alone
walk no-friends-or-relatives no-friends-or-relatives. |
|
豈無他人？
|
How
no other person? |
|
不如我同姓。
|
Not
as-if I together-with family. |
|
嗟行之人，
|
Alas
walk him man, |
|
胡不比焉？
|
Why
not liken how? |
|
人無兄弟，
|
Person
not elder-brother younger-brother, |
|
胡不佽焉？
|
Why
not help why? |