I Strove with None#
Original --Walter Landor#
I strove with none,
for none was worth my strife;
Nature I loved,
and next to Nature, Art:
I warmed both hands before the fire of Life;
It sinks; and I am ready to depart.
Translation by Yang Jiang:#
I strove with none,
for I disdain to strive with anyone;
I love nature,
and then comes art;
I warm my hands,
by the fire of life;
The fire fades,
and I am ready to leave.
Translation by Wang Zuoliang:#
I do not contend with others,
nor is anyone worth my contention,
I love nature,
and then comes art.
I warm my hands by the fire of life,
the flames diminish,
and I am prepared to depart.
Some Thoughts#
When reading "The Blade", I came across this poem, but it felt familiar, as if I had read it before. The poem appears in the book when Eliot is discussing his own death. Regarding Eliot, regarding "The Blade", I think I will write another article. Here, I mainly want to talk about some thoughts on this poem and its translations.
I admire and appreciate the state of mind described in this poem. Sometimes I remind myself that there is no need to contend with others. But I also remember where I saw a sentence like this, "People live by self-identification." There are many similar statements, but this one I remember very clearly. And to obtain self-identification, it often relies on the comparison with others, consciously or unconsciously. At least that's how I am now. I don't think it's good. So I still have room for improvement.
In addition to the state of mind, I also like this metaphor. "I warmed both hands before the fire of life."
As for the two translations quoted above, I prefer Yang Jiang's translation, especially the line "The fire fades." I feel it conveys the fleetingness of life.