<Header>
<Author: 王維>
<Title: 西施詠>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1944>
<BookName: A FURTHER SELECTION FROM THE THREE HUNDRED POEMS OF THE T'ANG DYNASTY>
<Translator: SOAME JENYNS>
<TranslatedTitle: The Song of Hsi Shih>
<BookPage: 19-20>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
豔色天下重，
西施寧久微。
朝仍越溪女，
暮作吳宮妃。
賤日豈殊衆，
貴來方悟稀。
邀人傅香粉，
不自著羅衣。
君寵益嬌態，
君憐無是非。
當時浣紗伴，
莫得同車歸。
持謝鄰家子，
效顰安可希。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
THROUGHOUT the world beauty is a snare to men
How could Hsi Shih long remain in obscurity?
In the morning she was (washing clothes) by the river of Yüeh,
In the evening she was a palace concubine of the King of Wu.
When she was obscure how could she shine among the crowd?
When the hour of greatness came
Then at last her rare beauty was valued by men;
Attendants at her bidding wait on her with fragrant ointments
She no longer has to put on her own clothes,
Sunning herself in her sovereign's smile her airs and graces grow apace.
In the Prince's eyes she can do no wrong
Her erstwhile comrades of the wash-tub cannot ride home with her in the same chair.
The daughters of neighbours must have it politely pointed out to them
That although they copy her frowns what hope have they?
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
THROUGHOUT the world beauty is a snare to men
How could Hsi Shih long remain in obscurity?
In the morning she was (washing clothes) by the river of Yüeh,
In the evening she was a palace concubine of the King of Wu.
When she was obscure how could she shine among the crowd?
When the hour of greatness came Then at last her rare beauty was valued by men;
Attendants at her bidding wait on her with fragrant ointments
She no longer has to put on her own clothes,
Sunning herself in her sovereign's smile her airs and graces grow apace.
In the Prince's eyes she can do no wrong
Her erstwhile comrades of the wash-tub cannot ride home with her in the same chair.
The daughters of neighbours must have it politely pointed out to them
That although they copy her frowns what hope have they?
<End Formatted Translation>