Year
Leaving the northern gate,
My heartache becomes so great,
For I am poor, indigent,
And no one knows how I lament.
—I am finished!
And though heaven knows the truth
There is no spoken proof.
Fit to serve the king
And all that service brings,
Now I’m sent away,
Disgraced by rivals’ sway.
—I am finished!
And though heaven knows the truth
There is no spoken proof.
Royal matters I esteem
But how will I redeem
When sent off far away,
Destroyed by rivals’ sway?
—I am finished!
And though heaven knows the truth
There is no spoken proof.
[Translated from an anonymous poet in the Shijing]
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
北門 | 北门 | běi mén |
出自北門， | 出自北门， | chū zì běi mén ， |
憂心殷殷。 | 忧心殷殷。 | yōu xīn yīn yīn 。 |
終窶且貧， | 终窭且贫， | zhōng jù qiě pín ， |
莫知我艱。 | 莫知我艰。 | mò zhī wǒ jiān 。 |
已焉哉！ | 已焉哉！ | yǐ yān zāi ！ |
天實為之， | 天实为之， | tiān shí wéi zhī ， |
謂之何哉！ | 谓之何哉！ | wèi zhī hé zāi ！ |
王事適我， | 王事适我， | wáng shì shì wǒ ， |
政事一埤益我。 | 政事一埤益我。 | zhèng shì yī pí yì wǒ 。 |
我入自外， | 我入自外， | wǒ rù zì wài ， |
室人交偏謫我。 | 室人交偏谪我。 | shì rén jiāo piān zhé wǒ 。 |
已焉哉！ | 已焉哉！ | yǐ yān zāi ！ |
天實為之， | 天实为之， | tiān shí wéi zhī ， |
謂之何哉！ | 谓之何哉！ | wèi zhī hé zāi ！ |
王事敦我， | 王事敦我， | wáng shì dūn wǒ ， |
政事一埤遺我。 | 政事一埤遗我。 | zhèng shì yī pí yí wǒ 。 |
我入自外， | 我入自外， | wǒ rù zì wài ， |
室人交偏摧我。 | 室人交偏摧我。 | shì rén jiāo piān cuī wǒ 。 |
已焉哉！ | 已焉哉！ | yǐ yān zāi ！ |
天實為之， | 天实为之， | tiān shí wéi zhī ， |
謂之何哉！ | 谓之何哉！ | wèi zhī hé zāi！ |
Translation Notes
北門 | North Gate |
出自北門， | Leave self north gate, [Leave self = come from] |
憂心殷殷。 | Sad heart great geat. |
終窶且貧， | In-the-end poor and impoverished, |
莫知我艱。 | No-one knows my hardship. |
已焉哉！ | Finished thereupon ! |
天實為之， | Heaven honest does it, |
謂之何哉！ | Say it how ! |
王事適我， | Royal matters suit me, |
政事一埤益我。 | Government affairs alone add benefit me. |
我入自外， | I enter self foreign, |
室人交偏謫我。 | Room people mix deviant disgrace I. |
已焉哉！ | Finished thereupon ! |
天實為之， | Heaven honest does it, |
謂之何哉！ | Say it how ! |
王事敦我， | Royal matters esteem I, |
政事一埤遺我。 | Government affairs alone attach lose I. |
我入自外， | I enter self foreign, |
室人交偏摧我。 | Room person mix deviant destroy me. |
已焉哉！ | Finished thereupon ! |
天實為之， | Heaven true does it, |
謂之何哉！ | Say it how ! |