Plucking Fern Song
by Frank Watson
Bo Yi (~1046 B.C.)


I climbed a mountain—ho!

And plucked a lovely fern—oh no!

For God came down

It was his crown

He set to strike me low—oh no!


I begged and pleaded,

I did not know,

So God conceded,

His mercy meted

And I went home

In peace there sown

To die when I’ve grown old.


  
Note: loosely translated.


Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
采薇歌
采薇歌
cǎi wēi gē



登彼西山兮，
登彼西山兮，
dēng bǐ xī shān xī ，
采其薇矣。
采其薇矣。
cǎi qí wēi yǐ 。
以暴易暴兮，
以暴易暴兮，
yǐ bào yì bào xī ，
不知其非矣。
不知其非矣。
bù zhī qí fēi yǐ 。
神農虞夏，
神农虞夏，
shén nóng yú xià ，
忽焉沒兮。
忽焉没兮。
hū yān méi xī 。
吾適安歸矣。
吾适安归矣。
wú shì ān guī yǐ 。
籲嗟徂兮，
吁嗟徂兮，
xū jiē cú xī ，
命之衰矣。
命之衰矣。
mìng zhī shuāi yǐ。


Translation Notes

Written by Bo Yi (伯夷), a poet who lived sometime during the transition between the Shang Dynasty and the Zhou Dynasty (around 1046 B.C.)

采薇歌
Gathering Fern Song


登彼西山兮，
Climb that western mountain ah,
采其薇矣。
Pluck that fern did.
以暴易暴兮，
Thereby violent easy violent ah,
[Thereby violent easy violent = to replace one tyranny with another; to use violence against violence.]
不知其非矣。
Not know its wrong ah.
神農虞夏，
Spirit/god agriculture expect summer,
[Spirit agriculture = Shennong or Farmer God (~2000 B.C.), the first of the legendary Flame Emperors and creator of agriculture]
忽焉沒兮。
Suddenly thereupon sink/inundate ah.
吾適安歸矣。
I follow peaceful return did.
籲嗟徂兮，
Appeal alas go/reach ah,
命之衰矣。
Life ’s decline/old-and-feeble did.

All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013