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I Strove with None

#摘抄#感想#翻译58
AI Translation
This post is translated from Chinese into English through AI.View Original
AI-generated summary
The poem "I Strove with None" by Walter Landor expresses the idea of not engaging in conflicts with others because they are not worth the effort. The poet loves nature and art, and finds warmth and comfort in the fire of life. The poem reflects on the transient nature of life and the readiness to depart. The author discusses their admiration for the poem and its relatable sentiment of not needing to compete with others. However, they also acknowledge the importance of self-identity and the tendency to compare oneself with others for self-acceptance. The author appreciates the metaphor of warming both hands before the fire of life. They prefer the translation by Yang Jiang, particularly the line "It sinks; and I am ready to depart," as it captures the fleeting nature of life.

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 none was worth my strife;

I loved nature,

and next to nature, art;

I warmed my hands,

by the fire of life;

The fire dwindles,

and I am ready to leave.

Translation by Wang Zuoliang:#

I don't contend with anyone,

nor is anyone worth my contention,

I love nature,

and then art.

I warm my hands,

in front of the fire of life.

The flame fades,

and I am ready to go.

Some Thoughts#

When reading "The Blade", I came across this poem, but I had a sense of familiarity, so it shouldn't be the first time I've read it. This poem appears in the book when Eliot is talking about 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 quite admire and appreciate the state of mind described in the poem. Sometimes I remind myself that there is no need to contend with others. But I also remember where I saw such a sentence, "People live by self-identification." There are many similar statements, but only 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 dwindles." I feel it captures the fleetingness of life.

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