I Left the Eastern Gate
by Frank Watson
I left the eastern gate
Where women move like clouds,
And though they move like clouds,
There's none my thoughts allowed:
I think of the girl in silk white plaits
And how I’m happy with my fate.

I went to the tower by the gate
Where women spring like weeds,
And though they spring like weeds
There's none of them I need:
I think of the girl with silky traits,
And how her pleasures await.


[After the anonymous Chinese poem in the Shijing]


Original Chinese

Traditional
Simplified
Pronunciation
出其東門
出其东门
chū qí dōng mén



出其東門，
出其东门，
chū qí dōng mén ，
有女如雲。
有女如云。
yǒu nǚ rú yún 。
雖則如雲，
虽则如云，
suī zé rú yún ，
匪我思存。
匪我思存。
fěi wǒ sī cún 。
縞衣綦巾，
缟衣綦巾，
gǎo yī qí jīn ，
聊樂我員。
聊乐我员。
liáo lè wǒ yuán 。
出其闉闍，
出其闉闍，
chū qí yīn dū ，
有女如荼。
有女如荼。
yǒu nǚ rú tú 。
雖則如荼，
虽则如荼，
suī zé rú tú ，
匪我思且。
匪我思且。
fěi wǒ sī qiě 。
縞衣茹藘，
缟衣茹藘，
gǎo yī rú lǘ ，
聊可與娛。
聊可与娱。
liáo kě yǔ yú。


Translation Notes


出其東門
Go-out that eastern gate


出其東門，
Go-out that eastern gate,
有女如雲。
Is woman like clouds.
雖則如雲，
Although grades like clouds,
[Although grades = although, nevertheless]
匪我思存。
Not I think exist.
縞衣綦巾，
White-raw-silk clothes dark-gray kerchief,
聊樂我員。
To-depend-on happy I person.
出其闉闍，
Go-out that curved tower-over-city-gate,
有女如荼。
Is woman like bitter-vegetables.
雖則如荼，
Although grades like bitter-vegetables,
匪我思且。
Not I think also.
縞衣茹藘，
White-raw-silk clothes roots madder,
聊可與娛。
To-depend-on may with pleasure.




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