帕布莉卡墙有茨[1]
墙有茨，
不可扫也。
中冓[2]之言，
不可道也。
所可道也，
言之丑也。
墙有茨，
不可襄[3]也。
中冓之言，
不可详[4]也。
所可详也，
言之长也。
墙有茨，
不可束也。
中冓之言，
不可读也。
所可读也，
言之辱也。
墙上蒺藜草，
不可把它扫。
宫廷悄悄话，
不可向外道。
如果向外道，
说了让人臊。
墙上蒺藜草，
不可尽除掉。
宫中悄悄话，
不可仔细讲。
如果仔细讲，
要说话太长。
墙上蒺藜草，
不能都捆束。
宫中悄悄话，
不可宣扬它。
如果要宣扬，
说来是耻辱。
注释：
[1] 茨：蒺藜草。
[2] 中冓（gòu）：宫闱内室。
[3] 襄：除去。
[4] 详：细说。
Scandals[1]
The creepers on the wall
Cannot be swept away.
Stories of inner hall
Should not be told by day.
What would have to be told
Is scandals manifold.
The creepers on the wall
Cannot be rooted out.
Scandals of inner hall
Should not be talked about.
If they are talked of long,
They’ll be an endless song.
The creepers on the wall
Cannot be together bound.
Scandals of inner hall
Should not be spread around.
If spread from place to place,
They are shame and disgrace.
[1]After the death of Duke Xuan of Wei, the beautiful duchess had illicit connections with his son and gave birth to three sons and two daughters, the youngest daughter being Bar oness Mu of Xu who wrote the Poem“Patriotic Baroness Mu of Xu”. These connections raised scandals in the inner hall of the ducal palace.
