Valley Wind
by Frank Watson
Blowing, blowing—the valley wind
In rain and darkened skies,
Like our hearts together,
So why be angry?
As you gather fresh turnips,
Do not pull up the roots;
Do not take back your noble words
For us to join ’til death.

I walk the path slowly,
Defying my heart;
You are not far away,
Indifferently sending me off from home.
Who says that bitter herbs are hard to swallow?
They are sweet, like water chestnuts,
So feast in your new marriage tonight,
In fond fraternity.

One river muddies the other,
But its islet is clear;
Have your feast tonight
And leave no scraps for me.
Do not pass my roof
Or send any baskets of fish:
You do not look at me
Or care about our children.

When we approached the deep
We crossed in a boat together;
When we approached the shallow,
You swam away.
Whether we had or we lost,
I always strove, seeking,
And when others lost
I crawled on my knees to help them.

You cannot love me,
So I am your enemy;
My virtues have no value,
Like goods you cannot sell.
I used to fear that we would have no children
And thus be ruined;
Now we have them born and raised,
But you treat me like poison.

I am vegetables preserved
To protect against the winter,
So as you feast tonight,
I will fight my poverty.
You have a parade of dancers,
Bequeathed by my toil;
You do not think of your first one
And give her only rage.


Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
谷風
谷风
gǔ fēng



習習谷風，
习习谷风，
xí xí gǔ fēng ，
以陰以雨。
以阴以雨。
yǐ yīn yǐ yǔ 。
黽勉同心，
黾勉同心，
mǐn miǎn tóng xīn ，
不宜有怒。
不宜有怒。
bù yí yǒu nù 。
采葑采菲，
采葑采菲，
cǎi fēng cǎi fēi ，
無以下體？
无以下体？
wú yǐ xià tǐ ？
德音莫違，
德音莫违，
dé yīn mò wéi ，
及爾同死。
及尔同死。
jí ěr tóng sǐ 。
行道遲遲，
行道迟迟，
xíng dào chí chí ，
中心有違。
中心有违。
zhōng xīn yǒu wéi 。
不遠伊邇，
不远伊迩，
bù yuǎn yī ěr ，
薄送我畿。
薄送我畿。
báo sòng wǒ jī 。
誰謂荼苦？
谁谓荼苦？
shuí wèi tú kǔ ？
其甘如薺。
其甘如荠。
qí gān rú jì 。
宴爾新昏，
宴尔新昏，
yàn ěr xīn hūn ，
如兄如弟。
如兄如弟。
rú xiōng rú dì 。
涇以渭濁，
泾以渭浊，
jīng yǐ wèi zhuó ，
湜湜其沚。
湜湜其沚。
shí shí qí zhǐ 。
宴爾新昏，
宴尔新昏，
yàn ěr xīn hūn ，
不我屑矣。
不我屑矣。
bù wǒ xiè yǐ 。
毋逝我梁，
毋逝我梁，
wú shì wǒ liáng ，
毋發我笱。
毋发我笱。
wú fā wǒ gǒu 。
我躬不閱，
我躬不阅，
wǒ gōng bù yuè ，
遑恤我後！
遑恤我后！
huáng xù wǒ hòu ！
就其深矣，
就其深矣，
jiù qí shēn yǐ ，
方之舟之。
方之舟之。
fāng zhī zhōu zhī 。
就其淺矣，
就其浅矣，
jiù qí qiǎn yǐ ，
泳之遊之。
泳之游之。
yǒng zhī yóu zhī 。
何有何亡，
何有何亡，
hé yǒu hé wáng ，
黽勉求之。
黾勉求之。
mǐn miǎn qiú zhī 。
凡民有喪，
凡民有丧，
fán mín yǒu sāng ，
匍匐求之。
匍匐求之。
pú fú qiú zhī 。
不我能慉，
不我能慉，
bù wǒ néng xù ，
反以我為讎，
反以我为雠，
fǎn yǐ wǒ wéi chóu ，
既阻我德，
既阻我德，
jì zǔ wǒ dé ，
賈用不售。
贾用不售。
jiǎ yòng bù shòu 。
昔育恐育鞫，
昔育恐育鞫，
xī yù kǒng yù jú ，
及爾顛覆。
及尔颠覆。
jí ěr diān fù 。
既生既育，
既生既育，
jì shēng jì yù ，
比予於毒。
比予于毒。
bǐ yú yú dú 。
我有旨蓄，
我有旨蓄，
wǒ yǒu zhǐ xù ，
亦以禦冬。
亦以御冬。
yì yǐ yù dōng 。
宴爾新昏，
宴尔新昏，
yàn ěr xīn hūn ，
以我禦窮。
以我御穷。
yǐ wǒ yù qióng 。
有洸有潰，
有洸有溃，
yǒu guāng yǒu kuì ，
既詒我肄。
既诒我肄。
jì yí wǒ yì 。
不念昔者，
不念昔者，
bù niàn xī zhě ，
伊余來塈。
伊余来塈。
yī yú lái xì。


Translation Notes

Anonymous, from the Classic of Poetry.

谷風
Valley wind


習習谷風，
Flapping-wings flapping-wings valley wind,
[Flapping-wings flapping-wings = blowing gently]
以陰以雨。
Because overcast because rain.
黽勉同心，
To-strive endeavor together-with heart,
[To-strive endeavor = to do so with difficulty, to point at the door]
[Together-with heart = with common wishes; in a spirit of cooperation]
不宜有怒。
Not suitable have anger.
采葑采菲，
Gather turnip gather fragrance,
無以下體？
Not thereby beneath body?
[Beneath body = roots and stems of plants]
德音莫違，
Virtue sound cannot violate,
及爾同死。
Reach thus together-with death.
行道遲遲，
Walk path slow slow,
中心有違。
Center heart/mind exist be-apart-from/go-against.
[Center heart = center; core]
不遠伊邇，
Not distant that/he be-near,
薄送我畿。
Approach/near see-off me area-near-capital.
誰謂荼苦？
Who says bitter-vegetable hardship?
其甘如薺。
Its sweetness like water-chestnuts.
宴爾新昏，
Feast thus recent dusk,
如兄如弟。
Like elder-brother like younger-brother.
涇以渭濁，
Jing-River with Wei-river muddy,
湜湜其沚。
Clear clear its islet-in-stream.
[Clear clear = the water is clear and you can see the bottom]
宴爾新昏，
Feast thus recent dusk,
不我屑矣。
Not my scraps/crumbs [done].
毋逝我梁，
Do-not pass-away my bridge/beam-of-roof,
毋發我笱。
Do-not send-out my basket-trap-for-fish.
我躬不閱，
My body not examine,
遑恤我後！
Hurry-about relief my descendents!
就其深矣，
Approach that deep/profound [finish],
方之舟之。
Direction/region ’s boat it.
就其淺矣，
Approach that shallow [finish],
泳之遊之。
Dive/swim he wander/roam he.
何有何亡，
Which have which perish,
黽勉求之。
Strive endeavor seek he.
凡民有喪，
All people have mourning/funerals/death,
匍匐求之。
Lie-prostrate fall-prostrate beseech them.
[Lie-prostrate fall-prostrate = crawl; creep]
不我能慉，
Not I able-to love/please,
反以我為讎，
Reverse/oppose thereby I handle enemies,
既阻我德，
Already hindered my ethics/virtue,
賈用不售。
Buy use not sell.
昔育恐育鞫，
Formerly produced/have-children fear produced/raised interrogation,
及爾顛覆。
Reached thus peak tip-over.
[Peak tip-over = topple; overturn]
既生既育，
Both birth both bring-up-children,
比予於毒。
Like/compare I/give on poison/cruel.
我有旨蓄，
I had purpose stored,
亦以禦冬。
Also therefore defend winter.
宴爾新昏，
Feast thus recent dusk,
以我禦窮。
Thereby I resist exhaustion.
有洸有潰，
Have fighters have militarily-defeat,
既詒我肄。
Then bequeath my toil.
不念昔者，
No think-of ancient/beginning this/those-who
伊余來塈。
That I come fury/anger.
All writings and translations are Copyright © by Frank Watson, also writing as "Blue Flute" (2011-2014).
Year: 
2013