English中文

Tender, Tender the Lonely Bamboo

Anonymous · Han dynasty

冉rǎn冉rǎn孤gū生shēng竹zhú，

结jié根gēn泰tài山shān阿ē。

Tender, tender, the solitary bamboo, striking root on the slope of Mount Tai.

与yǔ君jūn为wéi新xīn婚hūn，

菟tú丝sī附fù女nǚ萝luó。

With you I make a new marriage—dodder clinging to nüluo.

菟tú丝sī生shēng有yǒu时shí，

夫fū妇fù会huì有yǒu宜yí。

The dodder has its season; husband and wife have their fitting time.

千qiān里lǐ远yuǎn结jié婚hūn，

悠yōu悠yōu隔gé山shān陂bēi。

A thousand li away we were joined in marriage; far, far, with hills and slopes between.

思sī君jūn令lìng人rén老lǎo，

轩xuān车chē来lái何hé迟chí！

Thinking of you makes me grow old—how slow your canopied carriage is in coming!

伤shāng彼bǐ蕙huì兰lán花huā，

含hán英yīng扬yáng光guāng辉huī。

I grieve for that thoroughwort orchid, holding its blossom and casting abroad its radiance.

过guò时shí而ér不bù采cǎi，

将jiāng随suí秋qiū草cǎo萎wěi。

If it passes its season and is not gathered, it will wither with the autumn grass.

君jūn亮liàng执zhí高gāo节jié，

贱jiàn妾qiè亦yì何hé为wéi？

Surely you hold fast to lofty constancy—what then should this humble wife do?

Reading notes

菟丝 and 女萝 are images of clinging plants used to express attachment in marriage.