🌸张紫芝。

Wen xuan, or Selections of Refined Literature

Translated, with Annotations by David R. Knechtges(康達維)

于是越北沚，

And then, as she crosses the northern sandbars,

过南冈，

Passes the southern ridge,

纡素领，

She turns her white neck,

回清阳，

Looks back with her bright shing eyes,

动朱唇以徐言，

Moving her vermilion lips, slowly she speaks.

陈交接之大纲。

Setting forth the grand principles of amity and love.

恨人神之道殊兮，

She regrets that the ways of humans and spirit are different,

怨盛年之莫当。

And laments that in her flourishing years she cannot find a fit mate.

抗罗袂以掩涕兮，

She raises a gauze sleeve to wipe her eyes,

泪流襟之浪浪。

And tears fall in streams soaking her laper.

悼良会之永绝兮，

She grieves that this good tryst must cease forever,

哀一逝而异乡。

And sorrows that, once departed, we shall go to different realms.

无微情以效爱兮，

"Lacking even the slightest feeling with which to express my love,

献江南之明珰。

I present you a shining pearl earring from Yangze south.

虽潜处于太阴，

Although I dwell submerged in the Great Yin,

长寄心于君王。

I shall always lodge my heart with you, my prince."

忽不悟其所舍，

Suddenly I do not know where she has gone,

怅神宵而蔽光。

And I sadly watch as her spirit vanshies, and her brightness becoms hidden.