The “Four Seas”, A Common Classical Chinese Allusion 「四海之内皆兄弟」押韻講解

in #cn7 years ago (edited)

The “Four Seas” is an allusion to a passage in the 論語 Analects of Confucius 12.5 顏淵 Yan Yuan:


四海之内皆兄弟 Sìhǎi zhī nèi jiē xiōngdì / Syhhae jy ney jie shiongdih “[literally] All within the Four Seas are brothers”.


Here is the complete passage:

司馬牛憂曰:「人皆有兄弟,我獨亡。」
Sīmǎ niú yōu yuē: “Rén jiē yǒu xiōngdì, wǒ dú wáng.” / Symaa Niou Iou Iue: “Ren jie yeou shiongdih, woo dwu wang.”
Symaa Niou sadly stated: “Of brothers all have [at least] one, only I have none.”

子夏曰:「商聞之矣:死生有命,富貴在天。君子敬而無失,與人恭而有禮。四海之內,皆兄弟也。君子何患乎無兄弟也?」
Zi xià yuē. “Shāng wén zhī yǐ: Sǐ shēng yǒu mìng, fù guì zài tiān. / Tzyy Shiah Iue: “Shang wen jy yii: syy sheng yeou minq, fu guey tzay tian.
Tzyy Shiah answered. It is said: “Life and death depend on fate, for wealth and honor we only wait.”

君子敬而無失,與人恭而有禮。
Jūnzǐ jìng ér wú shī, yǔ rén gōng ér yǒu lǐ. / Jiuntzyy jinq erl wu shy, yeu ren gong erl yeou lii.
Gentlemen are unfailingly polite, courteous to all and without slight.

四海之內,皆兄弟也。君子何患乎無兄弟也?」
Sìhǎi zhī nèi, jiē xiōngdì yě. Jūnzǐ hé huàn hū wú xiōngdì yě?” / Syh hae jy ney, jie shiongdih yee. Jiuntzyy her huann wu shiongdih yee?”
Should a gentlemen imagine he lacks brothers? All within the Four Seas are his brothers!


Note: I have taken some minor liberties to produce a rhyming translation. Ex: the last two phrases in the English translation are reversed to agree with English logic.
注意:最後一句譯文顛倒以符合英文邏輯順序


Related: https://steemit.com/cn/@wentong-syhhae/basis-for-my-steemit-nickname

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