Please explain this sentence to me

[fatedquest]

刀を鳥に加えて、鳥の血に悲しめども、魚に加えて魚の 血に悲しまず、声あるものは幸福也

I can't make out what it means literally. Like 刀を鳥に加えて ?

 

[FinancialWar]

interesting, if the bird is the direct object, shouldn't を be after 鳥 not 刀?

or maybe the 刀 is the direct object and the 鳥 is indirect object marked by に、the verb means to add...?

so i suppose it means literally "adding the sword to the bird" or "stabbing the bird/chicken using the sword"

just a wide guess, is it from a poem by the way?

 

[fatedquest]

This is a quote from one of 斎藤 緑雨(Saitou Ryokuu) works. I do not know which. However, he wasn't know for his poetry, so I wouldn't think this is one.

 

[Toritoribe]

［3］ ある作用を他に及ぼす。あたえる。

・ 人に危害を―・える

・ 敵の陣地に攻撃を―・える

・ 治療を―・える

「加える」の検索結果 - Yahoo!辞書

刀を鳥に加える would be more likely "to cut/chop with a knife" in this case.

悲しめども ＝ 悲しむけれど
悲しまず ＝ 悲しまない