The Ephemera
诗经·曹风·蜉蝣
“The Ephemera” is a poem in the Book of Songs, the first anthology of poetry in ancient China. It is a poem with love and reflection, taking the ephemera, an insect that only live for a short summer, as its subject. By the use of analogy, the poem portrays the fleeting beauty of fragile life and the perplexity of facing death, representing China’s excellent literary tradition and philosophical thinking.
《曹风·蜉蝣》是中国古代第一部诗歌总集《诗经》中的一首诗。这是一首具有爱与思考的诗歌，以蜉蝣这种只有一个短暂夏天可活的昆虫为主题，用比的手法，写出了脆弱人生的短暂美丽和面临死亡的困惑，代表了中国优秀的文学传统和哲学思考。
The Ephemera
The ephemera's wings, Like morning robes are bright,
Grief to my heart it brings, Where will it be at night?
The ephemera's wings, Like rainbow robes are bright,
Grief to my heart it brings, Where will it rest by night?
The ephemera's hole, Like robe of hemp snow-white,
It brings grief to my soul!: Where may I go tonight?
诗经·曹风·蜉蝣
蜉蝣之羽，衣裳楚楚。心之忧矣，於我归处。
蜉蝣之翼，采采衣服。心之忧矣，於我归息。
蜉蝣掘阅，麻衣如雪。心之忧矣，於我归说。
It begins with the comparison of “the ephemera’s wings”. The wings of this little life are bright as morning robes, but this beauty is not easily attained and lasts only for a day as a flash in the pan. The poet, witnessing this scene, arises spontaneously a sense of urgency to cherish life and grasp the present.
开篇以“蜉蝣之羽”为比，这个小生命的翅膀，像一件华美的衣裳那样艳丽多彩。但这种美丽来之不易，且只有一天的美丽，宛如昙花一现。诗人见此情景油然而生一种珍惜生命、把握现在的紧迫感。
Then it proceeds with the comparison of “the wings of an ephemera”, describing the ephemera’s wings and the delicate and charming posture of the ephemera’s dancing in the air, reminding people that life is beautiful and we should pursue beautiful postures. However, when viewed in the shadow of death, the ephemeral adornment and postures appear to be helpless and sorrowful.
紧接以“蜉蝣之翼”为比，对蜉蝣的翅膀及飘舞在空中时纤巧动人的姿态进行描写，不禁使人联想到活着是美好的，要懂得追求美的姿态。然而放在死亡的阴影下来看，短暂生命的装饰与姿态实属无奈与哀伤。
Finally, it depicts the moment when the ephemera comes out of the ground, dressed in a robe of hemp snow-white. Its thin hemp-like wings are as white and tender as the first snow. But soon it flies, displaying the brightness of life to the fullest. Therefore, humans should learn from the ephemera, cherishing the brightness of life and death.
最后则描述蜉蝣刚刚破土而出的时候，麻衣如雪，那薄如麻丝的翅羽好像初雪一样洁白柔嫩。但它很快就飞翔起来，尽情挥舞生命的光采。因此，人要向蜉蝣学习，珍惜生之光华，死之绚烂。
The ephemera, though it exists only for a summer, can return to its place of rest in the end of its life, a luxury not afforded to humans. The poet laments that human life is even more fleeting and underscores the need to cherish each and every moment, enrich our lives and do something meaningful, and not waste our lives. Therefore, this poem has become a representative expressing the brevity of life.
蜉蝣虽然只存在于一夏之间，在生命的最后时刻能够回归自己的栖息处，而人生则不能。诗人感慨人的生命更为短暂，应该更加珍惜每一个时刻，充实人生，做一些有意义的事情，不虚度人生。因此，这首诗歌成了表达人生短暂的代表作。
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《曹风·蜉蝣》
导演：杨书鹏
主讲人：苏晓康
中文稿：王子怡
英文稿：王子怡
审核：张玫 吴坤 吴经纬 陆学正 谭月娥
剪辑：谢哲宏
指导老师：张玫
本期编辑：谢凌云
初审：吴坤
终审：张玫
