Chopping Sandalwood
by Frank Watson
Chop, chop

He cuts the wood
And sets it by the river,
Water clear and flowing.
No sowing, no reaping
On so many acres.
No hunting, no chasing
Yet game now hangs to dry.
Oh, noble man—
No plain meal for you!

Chop, chop

He cuts the spokes of a wheel
And sets them on the riverside,
Water clear and fine.
No sowing, no reaping,
Yet so much grain.
No hunting, no chasing,
Yet a fruitful land he has.
Oh, noble man—
No meal of grist for you!

Chop, chop

He cuts a wheel
And sets it by the riverbank,
Slopes into pure water.
No sowing, no reaping,
Yet so many granaries.
No hunting, no chasing,
Yet the land is full of quail.
Oh, noble man—
No plain supper for you!


Original Chinese


Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation



伐檀
伐檀
fá tán



坎坎伐檀兮，
坎坎伐檀兮，
kǎn kǎn fá tán xī ，
置之河之干兮，
置之河之幹兮，
zhì zhī hé zhī gān xī ，
河水清且涟猗。
河水清且漣猗。
hé shuǐ qīng qiě lián yǐ 。
不稼不穑，
不稼不穡，
bù jià bù sè ，
胡取禾三百廛兮？
胡取禾三百廛兮？
hú qǔ hé sān bǎi chán xī ？
不狩不猎，
不狩不獵，
bù shòu bù liè ，
胡瞻尔庭有县獾兮？
胡瞻爾庭有縣獾兮？
hú zhān ěr tíng yǒu xiàn huān xī ？
彼君子兮，
彼君子兮，
bǐ jūn zǐ xī ，
不素餐兮！
不素餐兮！
bù sù cān xī ！
坎坎伐辐兮，
坎坎伐輻兮，
kǎn kǎn fá fú xī ，
置之河之侧兮，
置之河之側兮，
zhì zhī hé zhī cè xī ，
河水清且直猗。
河水清且直猗。
hé shuǐ qīng qiě zhí yǐ 。
不稼不穑，
不稼不穡，
bù jià bù sè ，
胡取禾三百亿兮？
胡取禾三百億兮？
hú qǔ hé sān bǎi yì xī ？
不狩不猎，
不狩不獵，
bù shòu bù liè ，
胡瞻尔庭有县特兮？
胡瞻爾庭有縣特兮？
hú zhān ěr tíng yǒu xiàn tè xī ？
彼君子兮，
彼君子兮，
bǐ jūn zǐ xī ，
不素食兮！
不素食兮！
bù sù shí xī ！
坎坎伐轮兮，
坎坎伐輪兮，
kǎn kǎn fá lún xī ，
置之河之漘兮，
置之河之漘兮，
zhì zhī hé zhī chún xī ，
河水清且沦猗。
河水清且淪猗。
hé shuǐ qīng qiě lún yǐ 。
不稼不穑，
不稼不穡，
bù jià bù sè ，
胡取禾三百囷兮？
胡取禾三百囷兮？
hú qǔ hé sān bǎi qūn xī ？
不狩不猎，
不狩不獵，
bù shòu bù liè ，
胡瞻尔庭有县鹑兮？
胡瞻爾庭有縣鶉兮？
hú zhān ěr tíng yǒu xiàn chún xī ？
彼君子兮，
彼君子兮，
bǐ jūn zǐ xī ，
不素飧兮！
不素飧兮！
bù sù sūn xī ！


Translation Notes


伐檀
Cutting-down Sandalwood


坎坎伐檀兮，
Kan/trap kan/trap cut-down sandalwood [exclamatory particle],
置之河之干兮，
Place he river he stem [exclamatory particle],
河水清且涟猗。
River water clear also flowing [exclamation of admiration].
不稼不穑，
No sow-grain no harvest-grain,
胡取禾三百廛兮？
Why take grain-still-on-stalk three hundred ground [exclamatory particle]?
不狩不猎，
No winter-hunting no hunt,
胡瞻尔庭有县獾兮？
Why looks that courtyard has county badger [exclamatory particle]?
彼君子兮，
That gentleman child [exclamatory particle],
不素餐兮！
No plain meal [exclamatory particle]!
坎坎伐辐兮，
Kan/trap kan/trap cut-down spokes-of-wheel [exclamatory particle],
置之河之侧兮，
Place he river its side [exclamatory particle],
河水清且直猗。
River water clear and straight [exclamation of admiration].
不稼不穑，
No sow-grain no harvest-grain,
胡取禾三百亿兮？
Recklessly take grain-still-on-stalk three hundred hundred-million [exclamatory particle]?
不狩不猎，
No winter-hunting no hunt,
胡瞻尔庭有县特兮？
Recklessly gaze that courtyard has district unique [exclamatory particle]?
彼君子兮，
That gentleman child [exclamatory particle],
不素食兮！
No vegetarian meal [exclamatory particle]!
坎坎伐轮兮，
Snare snare cut-down wheel [exclamatory particle],
置之河之漘兮，
Place go-to river go-to bank [exclamatory particle],
河水清且沦猗。
River water pure also be-lost/sink/ruined [exclamation of admiration].
不稼不穑，
No sow-grain no harvest grain,
胡取禾三百囷兮？
Foolishly take grain-still-on-stalk three hundred granaries [exclamatory particle]?
不狩不猎，
No winter-hunting no hunt,
胡瞻尔庭有县鹑兮？
Recklessly look you courtyard have county quail [exclamatory particle]?
彼君子兮，
That gentleman child [exclamatory particle]
不素飧兮！
No plain evening-meal [exclamatory particle]


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