蒹葭

                 先秦·佚名

 

蒹葭苍苍，

白露为霜。

所谓伊人，

在水一方，

溯洄从之，

道阻且长。

溯游从之，

宛在水中央。

蒹葭萋萋，

白露未晞。

所谓伊人，

在水之湄。

溯洄从之，

道阻且跻。

溯游从之，

宛在水中坻。

蒹葭采采，

白露未已。

所谓伊人，

在水之涘。

溯洄从之，

道阻且右。

溯游从之，

宛在水中沚。

 

英译一：

The Reeds

 

Green reeds are thick and dense;

Clear dews become frost thence.

My love lives far away;

She lives across the bay.

Seeking her up the stream,

The way is hard and long, I deem.

Seeking her down the streams,

She’s in the water, it seems.

 

Green reeds are thick and high;

Clear dews are not yet dry.

My love lives far away;

She lives along the bay.

Seeking her up the streams,

The way is hard and steep, I deem.

Seeking her down the streams,

She’s on an isle, it seems.

 

Green reeds grow thick over there;

Clear dews remain everywhere.

My love lives far away;

She lives beside the bay.

Seeking her up the stream,

The way is hard and crooked, I deem.

Seeking her down the streams,

She’s on a bar, it seems.

汪榕培、任秀桦. 诗经：中英文版[Z]. 沈阳：辽宁教育出版社，1995: 515-517.

 

英译二：

Where Is She?

 

Green, green the reed,

Frost and dew gleam.

Where’s she I need?

Beyond the stream.

Upstream I go;

The way’s so long.

And downstream, lo!

She’s thereamong.

 

White, white the reed,

Dew not yet dried.

Where’s she I need?

On the other side.

Upstream I go;

Hard is the way.

And downstream, lo!

She’s far away.

 

Bright, bright the reed,

With frost dews blend.

Where’s she I need?

At river’s end.

Upstream I go;

The way does wind.

And downstream, lo!

She’s far behind.

许渊冲. 诗经：汉英对照[Z]. 北京：海豚出版社，2013: 147-148.

 

英译三：

Reeds

 

White infinity of reed plumes.

While frost forms

From evening dew.

At the water’s edge, a lady whom I love —

Upstream I attempt to reach her,

The journey stretching long and hard.

Downstream I struggle to reach her,

Receding into a misty shroud.

 

White infinity of reed plumes.

White dew still, moist.

The lady whom I love —

Limns the shore, like ice.

Fading upstream she eludes me,

On a long, arduous journey.

I pursue her downstream,

Shimmering on a barren mound.

 

Brown infinity of wilted reeds,

Still, wet with white glittering dew.

My lady love is beyond the bank.

Upstream I search for her in vain,

On the steep endless journey.

Downstream I seek her,

Where she seems to stand

On a small isle of sand.

贾福相. 诗经·国风——英文白话新译[Z]. 北京：北京大学出版社，2010: 283.

 

英译四：

Rush Leaves

 

Thick grow the rush leaves;

Their white dew turns to frost.

He whom I love

Must be somewhere along this stream.

I went up the river to look for him,

But the way was difficult and long.

I went down the stream to look for him,

And there in mid-water

Sure enough, it’s he!

 

Close grow the rush leaves;

Their white dew not yet dry.

He whom I love

Is at the water’s side.

Upstream I sought him;

But the way was difficult and steep.

Downstream I sought him,

And away in mid-water

There on a ledge, that’s he!

 

Very fresh are the rush leaves;

Their white dew still falls.

He whom I love

Is at the water’s edge.

Upstream I followed him;

But the way was hard and long.

Downstream I followed him,

And away in mid-water

There on the shoals is he!

Arthur Waley. The Book of Songs[Z]. New York: Grove Press, 1996:101-102.

 

英译五：

The Reeds

         Anonymous [pre-Qin days]

 

The reeds are dim and distant;

White dew is condensed into frost.

The idol girl in my heart

Is far beyond the water.

Upstream in search of her,

The going is hard and lengthy.

Downstream in search of her,

As if she is in the center of water.

The reeds are lush and luxuriant;

White dew is not dried yet.

The idol girl in my heart

Is there by the waterside.

Upstream in search of her,

The climbing is hard and lengthy.

Downstream in search of her,

As if she is on the sand bar.

The reeds are green and gray;

White dew still persists.

The idol girl in my heart

Is there by the shore-side.

Upstream in search of her,

The going is tortuous and dangerous.

Downstream in search of her,

As if she is in the shoal.

（张智中 译）