Life of a Poet: Confucius

Thread: Life of a Poet: Confucius

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  1. byasbdfak said:

    Default Life of a Poet: Confucius

    This man has been an inspiration to me for as long as I can remember, so when I was asked to do a weekly thread, I thought it only fair to highlight his work!

    Confucius - Biography

    Confucius was born and died in the state of Lu. He lost his father at the age of three and grew up in straightened circumstances, under his mother's care. As a boy he liked to set up sacrificial vessels and to imitate the gestures of ritual. At the age of nineteen he married, and a son and two daughters were born to him. His relations with his wife and children were without cordiality. He was a large man of great physical strength.
    At nineteen he entered the service of a noble family as superintendent of parks and herds. At thirty-two he was engaged in teaching the ancient ritual to a minister's sons. At thirty-three he went to Lo-yang, the imperial capital, to study the customs and traditions of the Chou Empire, which by then had actually split into numerous warring states of various sizes, and whose capital remained solely a religious center. On this occasion he is said to have visited Lao-tzu. When Confucius was thirty-four, the prince of Lu, threatened by powerful rivals among the local nobility, was forced to flee. Confucius accompanied him to a neighboring state. Here he heard music, learned how to play, and became so absorbed that he forgot to eat. Returning to Lu, he devoted the next fifteen years to his studies.

    A few of his poems:

    Sadness

    [translation by C.E.R. Allen, 1891]

    THE sun is ever full and bright,
    The pale moon waneth night by night.
    Why should this be?
    My heart that once was full of light
    Is but a dying moon to-night.
    But when I dream of thee apart,
    I would the dawn might lift my heart,
    O sun, to thee.

    Trysting Time

    [translation by C.E.R. Allen, 1891]
    I
    A PRETTY girl at time o' gloaming
    Hath whispered me to go and meet her
    Without the city gate.

    I love her, but she tarries coming.
    Shall I return, or stay and greet her?
    I burn, and wait.

    II
    Truly she charmeth all behooders,
    'Tis she hath given me this jewel,
    The jade of my delight;

    But this red jewel-jade that smoulders,
    To my desire doth add more fuel,
    New charms to-night.

    III
    She has gathered with her lily fingers
    A lily fiar and rare to see.

    Oh! sweeter still the fragrance lingers
    From the warm hand that gave it me.


    The Soldier

    [translation by C.E.R. Allen, 1891]

    I CLIMBED the barren mountain,
    And my gaze swept far and wide
    For the red-lit eaves of my father's home,
    And I fancied that he sighed:
    My son has gone for a soldier,
    For a soldier night and day;
    But my son is wise, and may yet return,
    When the drums have died away.
    I climbed the grass-clad mountain,
    And my gaze swept far and wide
    For the rosy lights of a little room,
    Where I thought my mother sighed:
    My boy has gone for a soldier
    He sleeps not day and night;
    But my boy is wise, and may yet return,
    Though the dead lie far from sight.
    I climbed the topmost summit,
    And my gaze swept far and wide
    For the garden roof where my brother stood,
    And I fancied that he sighed:
    My brother serves as a soldier
    With his comrades night and day;
    But my brother is wise, and may yet return,
    Though the dead lie far away.
     
  2. mexico62 said:

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    Hi, Byasbdfak, thank you for posting these poems, I had never read a poem of Confucious, I knew he was a great philosopher, but now I know he was a poet too, thanks and hope you post more of his life and literally works. Good job.
     
  3. Doug Denslowe's Avatar

    Doug Denslowe said:

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    If this is Translated,was Confucius so wise that he could rhyme in English?I mean if it was originally written in another language,how does it rhyme in English?Most poetry doesn't rhyme and this was translated!I don't get it,but I like it!
     
  4. Frankie Jasmine's Avatar

    Frankie Jasmine said:

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    Doug, I will give a layperson's response. It is not necessarily fact, though!

    This is what I refer to as a "Master Poet's Translation."
    Here at ATL, people can make translations from one language to another, and I think it usually sounds better to do the translation as prose. However, it would take a Master of both languages with an understanding of the art of poetry to be able to translate this from ancient Chinese to modern English. If anyone would rate having their works done by the highest and best of all translators, it would be someone of the magnitude of Confucius . . . Also, such translators would, through altruism, translate his works for the masses. Thankfully.

    Just one woman's opinion. I doubt Lady Gaga will have an altruistic Master Translator for her songs into various languages!
    Last edited by Frankie Jasmine; 07-06-2012 at 09:56 PM. Reason: correction
     
  5. Amethystos's Avatar

    Amethystos said:

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    Quote Originally Posted by Frankie Jasmine View Post
    However, it would take a Master of both languages with an understanding of the art of poetry to be able to translate this from ancient Chinese to modern English.
    I absolutely agree with you Frankie.
    A couple of years before, there was a similar conversation in the "Greek translations" section regarding one poem of Kavvadias
    and its translation by Simon Darragh. Poem's title is "Federico Garcia Lorca"
    I still remember my surprise when Catherini posted her will of ordering the book and posting Darragh's translation in the thread.
    Here is the link to it -> http://www.allthelyrics.com/forum/gr...tml#post700036


    Quote Originally Posted by Frankie Jasmine View Post
    Just one woman's opinion. I doubt Lady Gaga will have an altruistic Master Translator for her songs into various languages!
    If we choose to "weigh" Gaga's artistic quality based on her lyrics,
    is like criticizing Dali based only on his contribution to the creation of "An Andalusian Dog" movie.
    "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to?
    You will never find that life for which you are looking.
    When the gods created man they allotted to him death,
    but life they retained in their own keeping"
     
  6. Frankie Jasmine's Avatar

    Frankie Jasmine said:

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    Don't know what happened . . . I thought I already posted this!

    Amethystos, how interesting that not only a similar topic came up . . . but that Panselinos and I said almost the exact same thing, two years apart!

    Panselinos, are we long-lost twins??