Odes of The Kingdom - Shi Jing-02-1
Minor Odes of The Kingdom
Decade of Lu Ming
161.LU MING
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another ,
Eating the celery of the fields .
I have here admirable guests ;
The lutes are struck , and the organ is blown [for them] ; --
The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving .
The baskets of offerings [also] are presented to them .
The men love me ,
And will show me the perfect path .
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another ,
Eating the southernwood of the fields .
I have here admirable guests ;
Whose virtuous fame is grandly brilliant .
They show the people not to be mean ;
The officers have in them a pattern and model .
I have good wine ,
Which my admirable guests drink , enjoying themselves .
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another ,
Eating the salsola of the fields .
I have here admirable guests ;
For whom are struck the lutes , large and small .
The lutes , large and small , are struck ,
And our harmonious joy is long-continued .
I have good wine ,
To feast and make glad the hearts of my admirable guests .
162.SI MU
My four steeds advanced without stopping ;
The way from Zhou was winding and tedious .
Did I not have the wish to return ?
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed ;
And my heart was wounded with sadness .
My four steeds advanced without stopping ;
They panted and snorted , the white steeds black-maned .
Did I not have the wish to return ?
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed ;
And I had not leisure to kneel or to sit .
The Filial doves keep flying about ,
Now soaring aloft , and now descending ,
Collecting on the bushy oaks ;
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed ;
And I had not leisure to nourish my father .
The Filial doves keep flying about ,
Now flying , now stopping ,
Collecting on the bushy medlars ;
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed ;
And I had not leisure to nourish my mother .
I yoked my four white steeds , black-maned ;
They hurried away with speed .
[But] did I not wish to return ?
Therefore I make this song ,
Announcing my wish to nourish my mother .
163.HUANG HUANG ZHE HUA
Brilliant are the flowers ,
On those level heights and the low grounds.
Complete and alert is the messenger , with his suite ,
Ever anxious lest he should not succeed .
My horses are young ;
The six reins look as if they were moistened .
I gallop them , and urge them on ,
Everywhere pushing my inquiries .
My horses are piebald ;
The six reins are like silk .
I gallop them , and urge them on ,
Everywhere seeking information and counsel .
My horses are white and black-maned ;
The six reins look glossy .
I gallop them , and urge them on ,
Everywhere seeking information and advice .
My horses are grey ;
The six reins are well in hand .
I gallop them , and urge them on ,
Everywhere seeking information and suggestions .
164.CHANG DI
The flowers of the cherry tree --
Are they not gorgeously displayed ?
of all the men in the world ,
There are none equal to brothers .
On the dreaded occasions of death and burial ,
It is brothers who greatly sympathize .
When fugitives are collected on the heights and low grounds ,
They are brothers who will seek one another out .
There is the wagtail on the level height ; --
When brothers are in urgent difficulties ,
Friends , though they may be good ,
Will [only] heave long sighs .
Brothers may quarrel inside the walls ,
But they will oppose insult from without ,
When friends , however good they may be ,
Will not afford help .
When death and disorder are past ,
And there are tranquillity and rest ;
Although they have brothers ,
[Some] reckon them not equal to friends .
Your dishes may be set in array ,
And you may drink to satiety ;
But it is when your brothers are all present ,
That you are harmonious and happy , with child-like joy .
Loving union with wife and children ,
Is like the music of lutes ;
But it is the accord of brothers ,
Which makes the harmony and happiness lasting .
For the ordering of your family ,
For your joy in yor wife and children ,
Examine this and study it ; --
Will you not find that it is truly so ?
165.FA MU
On the trees go the blows ding-ding ;
And the birds cry out ying-ying .
One issues from the dark valley ,
And removes to the lofty tree ,
While ying goes its cry ,
Seeking with its voice its companion .
Look at the bird ,
Bird as it is , seeking with its voice its companion ;
And shall a man ,
Not seek to have his friends ?
Spiritual beings will then hearken to him ;
He shall have harmony and peace .
Xu-xu they go , as they fell the trees .
I have strained off my spirits , till they are fine ,
And the fatted lambs are provided ,
To which to invite my paternal uncles .
It is better that something should keep them from coming ,
Than that I should not have regarded them .
Oh ! brightly I have sprinkled and swept my courtyard ,
And arranged my viands , with eight dishes of grain , along with my fatted meat ,
To which to invite my maternal uncles .
It is better that something should keep them from coming ,
Than that there should be blame attaching to me .
They fell down the trees along the hill-side .
I have strained off my spirits in abundance ;
The dishes stand in rows ,
And none of my brethren are absent .
The loss of kindly feeling among people ,
May arise from faults in the matter of dry provisions .
If I have spirits I strain them , do I ;
If I have no spirits , I buy them , do I ;
I make the drums beat , do I ;
I lead on the dance , do I .
Whenever we have leisure ,
Let us drink the sparkling spirits .
166.TIAN BAO
Heaven protects and establishes thee ,
With the greatest securtiy ;
Makes thee entirely virtuous ,
That thou mayest enjoy every happiness ;
Grants thee much increase ,
So that thou hast all in abundance .
Heaven protects and establishes thee ,
It grants thee all excellence ,
So that thine every matter is right ,
And thou receivest every heavenly favour .
It sends down to thee long-during happiness ,
Which the days are not sufficient to enjoy .
Heaven protects and establishes thee ,
So that in every thing thou dost prosper ,
Like the high hills , and the mountain masses ,
Like the topmost ridges , and the greatest bulks ;
That , as the stream ever coming on ,
Such is thine increase .
With happy auspices and purifications , thou bringest the offerings ,
And dost filially present them ;
In spring , summer , autumn , and winter ,
To the dukes and former kings ,
Who says , ' We give to thee ,
Myriad of years of duration unlimited . '
The spirits come ,
And confer on thee many blessings .
The people are simple and honest ,
Daily enjoying their meat and drink .
All the black-haired race , in all their surnames ,
Universally practise your virtue .
Like the moon advancing to the full ,
Like the sun ascending the heavens ,
Like the age of the southern hills ,
Never waning , never falling ,
Like the luxuriance of the fir and the cypress ; --
May such be thy succeeding line !
167.CAI WEI
Let us gather the thorn-ferns , let us gather the thorn-ferns ;
The thorn-ferns are now springing up .
When shall we return ? When shall we return ?
It will be late in the [next] year .
Wife and husband will be separated ,
Because of the Xian-yun .
We shall have no leisure to rest ,
Because of the Xian-yun .
Let us gather the thorn-ferns , let us gather the thorn-ferns ;
The thorn-ferns are now tender .
When shall we return ? When shall we return ?
Our hearts are sorrowful ;
Our hearts are sad and sorrowful ;
We shall hunger , we shall thirst .
While our service on guard is not finished ,
We can send no one home to enquire about our families .
Let us gather the thorn-ferns , let us gather the thorn-ferns ;
The thorn-ferns are now hard .
When shall we return ? When shall we return ?
The year will be in the tenth month .
But the king's business must not be slackly performed ;
We shall have no leisure to rest .
Our sorrowing hearts are in great distress ;
But we shall not return from our expedition .
What is that so gorgeous ?
It is the flowers of the cherry tree .
What carriage is that ?
It is the carriage of our general .
His war carriage is yoked ;
The four steeds are strong .
Dare we remain inactive ?
In one month we shall have three victories .
The four steeds are yoked ,
The four steeds , eager and strong ; --
The confidence of the general ,
The protection of the men .
The four steeds move regularly , like wings ; --
There are the bow with its ivory ends
, and the seal-skin quiver .
Shall we not daily warn one another ?
The business of the Xian-yun is very urgent .
At first , when we set out ,
The willows were fresh and green ;
Now , when we shall be returning ,
The snow will be falling in clouds .
Long and tedious will be our marching ;
We shall hunger ; we shall thirst .
Our hearts are wounded with grief ,
And no one knows our sadness .
168.CHU CHE
We proceeded with our carriage ,
To those pasture grounds .
' From the place of the son of Heaven ,
Came an order to me to march , ' [said the general] .
So he called his carriage-officers,
And told them to get the carriages all ready .
' The king's business , ' [said he] , '
is surrounded with difficulties ;
We must use despatch . '
We proceeded with our carriage ,
To that suburban region .
The banner with tortoises and serpents was raised ,
And the ox-tails set up at the top of its staff ;
Did not it and the falcon banner ,
Fly about grandly ?
The [general's] heart was anxious and sad ,
And the carriage-officers appeared full of care .
The king charged Nan Zhong ,
To go and build a wall in the [disturbed] region .
How numerous were his chariots !
How splendid his dragon , his tortoise and serpent flags !
The son of Heaven had charged us ,
To build a wall in that northern region .
Awe-inspiring was Nan Zhong ;
The Xian-yun were sure to be swept away !
When we were marching at first ,
The millets were in flower .
Now that we are returning , The snow falls , and the roads are all mire .
The king's business was not to be slackly performed ,
And we had not leisure to rest .
Did we not long to return ?
But we were in awe of the orders in the tablets .
' Yao-yao go the grass-insects ,
And the hoppers leap about .
While we do not see our husbands ,
Our hearts must be full of grief .
Let us but see our husbands ,
And our hearts will be at rest . '
The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong ,
Is smiting the Rong of the west .
The spring-days are lengthening out ;
The plants and trees grow full of verdure ;
The oriole's cry comes jie-jie ;
[Our wives] go in crowds to gather the white southernwood .
With our prisoners for the question and our captive crowd ,
We return .
Awe-inspiring is Nan zhong ;
The Xian-yun are pacified .
169.DI DU
Solitary stands the russet pear tree ,
With its fruit so bright .
The king's business must not be slackly performed ,
And the days are prolonged with us one after another .
The sun and moon are in the tenth month .
My woman's heart is wounded ;
My soldier might have leisure [to return] !
Solitary stands the russet pear tree ,
With its leaves so luxuriant .
The king's business must not be slackly performed ,
And my heart is wounded and sad .
The plants and trees are luxuriant ,
But my heart is sad .
O that my soldier might return !
I ascended that hill in the north ,
To gather the medlars .
The king's business must not be slackly performed ,
And our parents are made sorrowful .
His chariot of sandal wood must be damaged ;
His four horses must be worn out ;
My soldier cannot be far off .
They have not packed up , they do not come ;
My sorrowing heart is greatly distressed .
The time is past , and he is not here ,
To the multiplication of my sorrows .
Both by the tortoise shell and the reeds have I divined ,
And they unite in saying he is near .
My soldier is at hand !
Nan Gai
Decade of Baihua
Bai Hua
Hua Shu
170.YU LI
The fish pass into the basket ,
Yellow-jaws and sand-blowers .
Our host has spirits ,
Good and abundance of them .
The fish pass into the basket ,
Bream and tench .
Our host has spirits ,
Abundance of them and good .
The fish pass into the basket ,
Mud-fish and carp .
Our host has spirits ,
Good and in quantities .
The viands are abundant ,
And they are admirable .
The viands are excellent ,
Both from the land and the sea .
The viands are in quantities ,
And all in season .
You Geng
171.NAN YOU JIA YU
In the south is the barbel ,
And , in multitudes , they are taken under baskets .
The host has spirits ,
On which his admirable quests feast with him joyfully .
In the south is the barbel ,
And , in multitudes , they are taken with wicker nets .
The host has spirits ,
On which his admirable quests feast with him , delighted .
In the south are trees with curved drooping branches ,
And the sweet gourds cling to them .
The host has spirits ,
On which his admirable quests feast with him cheerfully .
The Filial doves keep flying about ,
Coming in multitudes .
The host has spirits ,
On which his admirable quests feast with him again and again .
Chong Qui
172.NAN SHAN YOU TAI
On the hills of the south is the Tai plant ,
On those of the north is the Lai .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ,
The foundations of the State .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ; --
May your years be myriads and without end !
On the hills of the south are the mulberry trees ,
On those of the north are willows .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ,
The light of the State .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ; --
May your years be myriads , unlimited !
On the hills of the south are medlars ;
On those of the north are plum trees .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ,
Parents of the people .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ; --
May your virtuous fame have no end !
On the hills of the south is the Kao ;
On those of the north is the Niu .
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ,
Have ye not the eyebrows of longevity ?
To be rejoiced in are ye , noble men ; --
May your virtuous fame be abundant !
On the hills of the south is the Ju ;
On those of the north is the Yu .
To be rejoiced in are ye , gentlemen ; --
Will ye not have the grey hair and wrinkled face ?
To be rejoiced in are ye , gentlemen ; --
May ye preserve and maintain your posterity !
You Yi
173.LIAO XIAO
How long grows the southernwood ,
With the dew lying on it so bright !
Now that I see my noble men ,
My heart is entirely satisfied .
As we feast , we laugh and talk ; --
It is right they should have fame and prosperity !
How long grows the southernwood ,
With the dew lying on it so abundantly !
Now that I see my noble men ,
I appreciate their favour and their brightness .
Their virtue is without taint of error ; --
May they live long , and not be forgotten !
How high is the southernwood ,
All wet with the fallen dew !
Now that I see my noble men ,
Grandly we feast , delighted and complacent .
May their relations with their brothers be right !
May they be happy in their excellent virtue to old age !
How high is the southernwood ,
With the dew lying on it so richly !
I have seen my noble men ,
With the ends of their reins hanging down ,
With the bells tinkling on their cross-boards and bits .
May all happiness gather upon them .
174.ZHAN LU
Heavy lies the dew ;
Nothing but the sun can dry it .
Happily and long into the night we drink ; --
Till all are drunk , there is no retiring .
Heavy lies the dew ;
On that luxuriant grass .
Happily and long into the night we drin .
In the honoured apartment we complete our carousal .
Heavy lies the dew ;
On those willows and jujube trees .
Distinguished and true are my noble quests , --
Every one of excellent virtue .
From the Tong and the Yi ,
Their fruit hangs down .
Happy and self-possessed are my noble quests , --
Every one of them of excellent deportment .
Decade of Tong Gong
175. TONG GONG
The red bows unbent ,
Were received and deposited .
I have here an admirable quest ,
And with all my heart I bestow one on him .
The bells and drums have been arranged in order ,
And all morning will I feast him .
The red bows unbent ,
Were received and fitted on their frames .
I have here an admirable quest ,
And with all my heart I rejoice in him .
The bells and drums have been arranged in order ,
And all morning will I honour him .
The red bows unbent ,
Were received and placed in their cases .
I have here an admirable quest ,
And with all my heart I love him .
The bells and drums have been arranged in order ,
And all morning will I pledge him .
176.JING JING ZHE E
Luxuriantly grows the aster-southernwood ,
In the midst of that large mound .
Since we see our noble lord ,
We rejoice , and he shows us all courtesy .
Luxuriantly grows the aster-southernwood ,
In the midst of that islet .
Since we see our noble lord ,
Our hearts are full of joy .
Luxuriantly grows the aster-southernwood ,
In the midst of that great height .
We see our noble lord ,
And he gives us a hundred sets of cowries .
It floats about , -- the willow boat ,
Now sinking , now rising again .
Since we see our noble lord ,
Our hearts are at rest .
177.LIU YUE
In the sixth month all was bustle and excitement .
The war carriages had been made ready ,
With the four steeds [of each] , strong and eager ;
And the regular accountrements had been placed in the carriages .
The Xian-yun were in blazing force ,
And thence was the urgency .
The king had ordered ther expedition ,
To deliver the royal kingdom .
Matched in strength were the four black steeds ,
Well trained to observe every rule .
On this sixth month ,
We completed our accountrements .
Our accountrements were completed ,
And we marched thirty Li [every day] .
The king had ordered ther expedition ,
To help the son of Heaven .
The four steeds were long , and stout ,
And large-headed .
We smote the Xian-yun ,
And achieved great merit .
Severely strict and careful [was our leader] ,
Discharging his military service , --
Discharging his military service ,
And settling thereby the royal kingdom .
Badly reckoned the Xian-yun ,
When they confidently occupied Jiao and Huo ,
And overran Hao and Fang ,
As far as to the north of the Jing .
On our flags was their blazonry of birds ,
While their white streamers fluttered brightly .
Ten large war chariots ,
Led the way in front .
The war carriages were well made .
Nicely balanced , before and behind .
Their four steeds were strong ,
Both strong and well trained .
We smote the Xian-yun ,
As far as Tai-yuan .
For peace or for war fit is Ji-fu ,
A pattern to all the States .
Ji-fu feasts and is glad ;
Great happiness is his .
In returning from Hao ,
Distant and long had been our march .
He entertains and feasts his friends ,
With roast turtle and minced carp .
And who are there ?
There is Zhang Zhong , the filial and brotherly .
178.CAI QI
They were gathering the white millet ,
In those new fields ,
And in these acres brought only one year under cultivation ,
When Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ,
With a host of well-disciplined warriors .
Fang Shu led them on ,
In his carriage drawn by four piebalds ,
Four piebalds orderly moving .
Red shone his grand carriage ,
With its chequered bamboo screen , and seal-skin quivers ,
With the hooks for the trappings of the breast-bands , and the rein-ends .
They were gathering the white millet ,
In those new fields ,
And all about these villages ,
When Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ;
His banners , with their blazonry of dragons , and of serpents and tortoises , fluttered gaily .
Fang Shu led them on ,
The naves of his wheels bound with leather , and his yoke ornamented .
Tinkle-tinkle went the eight bells at the horses' bits .
He wore the robes conferred [by the king] ;
His red knee-covers were resplendent ,
And the gems of his girdle-pendant sounding .
Rapid is the flight of the hawk ,
Soaring to the heavens ,
And again descending and settling in its place .
Fang Shu came to take the command .
His chariots were three thousand ,
With a host of well disciplined warriors .
Fang Shu led them on .
With his jinglers and drummers ,
He marshalled his hosts and addressed them .
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu ,
Deep rolled the sound of his drums ;
With a lighter sound he led the troops back .
Foolish were the savage tribes of King ,
Presuming to oppose our great region .
Fang Shu is of great age ,
But full of vigour were his plans .
He led his army on ,
Seized [the chiefs] for the question , and made captives of a crowd [besides] .
Numerous were his war chariots ,
Numerous and in grand array ,
Like the clap or the roll of thunder their onset .
Intelligent and true is Fang Shu .
He had gone and smitten the Xian-yun ,
And the tribes of King came , awed by his majesty .
179.CHE GONG
Our chariots were strong ,
Our horses were well matched ,
And with four steeds [for each] , sleek and large ,
We yoked and proceeded to the east .
Our hunting carriages were good ,
And their four steeds in fine condition .
Eastwards were the grassy plains of Fu ; --
We yoked and went there to hunt .
of the officers in charge of the hunt ,
The voices resounded as they told off the men .
They set up the banners , with ox-tails displayed ,
And we proceeded to pursue the chase in Ao .
With their four-horsed chariots [they came] ,
Forming a long train ,
In their red knee-covers and gold-adorned slippers ,
Like the crowd of an occasional or a general audience .
The bowstring thimbles and armlets were fitted on ;
The bows and arrows were adjusted to one another ;
The archers acted in unison ,
Helping us to rear a pile of game .
of the four yellow horses of each chariot ,
The two outsiders inclined not to either side .
No error in driving was committed ,
And the arrows went forth like downright blows .
As if at their ease , the horses neighed ,
Long and slow moved the line of pennons and banners ;
The footmen and charioteers created no alarms ;
The great kitchen did not claim its full complement .
So did the officers conduct this expedition ,
Without any clamour in the noise of it .
Truly a princely man is [the king] ;
Great indeed are his achievements !
180.JI RI
A lucky day was wu ,
And we sacrificed on it to the Ruler [of horses] , and prayed .
Our hunting carriages were good ;
The team for each was in fine condition .
We would ascend the greatest heights ,
And pursue the herds [of the game] .
A lucky day was geng-wu .
We had selected our horses ;
The haunts of the animals ,
Where the does and stags lay numerous ,
The grounds by the Qi and the Ju , --
That was the place for the son of Heaven [to hunt] .
We looked to the midst of the plain ,
Where the animals were large and abundant ,
Now rushing about , now waiting together ,
Here in threes , there in twos .
We led on all our attendants ,
To give pleasure to the son of Heaven .
We have bent our bows ;
We have our arrows on the string .
Here is a small boar transifixed ;
There is a large rhinoceros killed .
The spoil will be presented to the visitors and guests ,
Along with the cup of sweet wine .
181.HONG YAN
The wild geese are flying about ;
Su-su goes the rustle of their wings .
[There were] those officers engaged on the commission .
Pained were we and toiled in the open fields ;
All were objects of pity ,
But alas for those wifeless and widows !
The wild geese are flying about ;
And they settle in the midst of the marsh .
[There were] those officers directing the rearing of the walls ; --
Five thousand cubits of them arose at once .
Though there was pain and toil ,
In the end we had rest in our dwellings .
The wild geese are flying about ,
And melancholy is their cry of ao-ao .
There were they , wise men ,
Who recognized our pain and toil ;
If they had been stupid men ,
They would have said we were proclaiming our insolence .
182.TING LIAO
How goes the night ?
It is not yet midnight .
The torch is blazing in the court-yard .
My princely men are arriving ; --
There is the tinkling of their bells .
How goes the night ?
The night is not yet through .
The torch is growing pale in the court-yard .
My princely men are arriving ; --
There is the sound of their bells , regular and near .
How goes the night ?
It is getting towards morning .
The torch is smoking in the court-yard .
My princely men are arriving ; --
I see their banners .
183.MIAN SHUI
In large volume , those flowing waters ,
Go to the court of the sea .
Rapid is that flying falcon ,
Now soaring , now resting .
Alas ! among my brethren ,
My countrymen , my friends ,
No one is willing to think of the prevailing disorder ;
[But] who has not parents [to suffer from it] ?
In large volume , those flowing waters ,
Roll on their swollen flood .
Rapid is that flying falcon ,
Now soaring , now rising higher .
When I think of those lawless men ,
Now I rise up , now I walk about .
The sorrow of my heart ,
Cannot be repressed nor forgotten .
Rapid is that flying falcon ,
Yet he keeps along the middle of the height .
The talk of the people , --
Is there no means of stopping it ?
If my friends would reverently [watch over themselves] ,
Would slanderous speeches be made ?
184.THE MING
The crane cries in the ninth pool of the marsh ,
And her voice is heard in the [distant] wilds .
The fish lies in the deep ,
And now is by the islet .
Pleasant is that garden ,
In which are the sandal trees ;
But beneath them are only withered leaves .
The stones of those hills ,
May be made into grind-stones .
The crane cries in the ninth pool of the marsh ,
And her voice is heard in the sky .
The fish is by the islet ,
And now it lies hid in the deep .
Pleasant is that garden ,
In which are the sandal trees ;
But beneath them is the paper-mulberry tree ,
The stones of those hills ,
May be used to polish gems .
Decade of Qi Fu
185.QI FU
Minister of war ,
We are the claws and teeth of the king .
Why have you rolled us into this sorrow ,
So that we have no abiding place ?
Minister of war ,
We are the taloned soldiers of the king .
Why have you rolled us into this sorrow ,
So that there is no end [of our toils] ?
Minister of war ,
You have indeed acted without discrimination .
Why have you rolled us into this sorrow ,
So that our mothers have to do all the labour of cooking ?
186.BAI JU
Let the brilliant white colt ,
Feed on the young growth of my vegetable garden .
Tether it by the foot , tie it by the collar ,
To prolong this morning .
So may its owner of whom I think ,
Spend his time here at his ease !
Let the brilliant white colt ,
Feed on the bean sprouts of my vegetable garden .
Tether it by the foot , tie it by the collar ,
To prolong this evening .
So may its owner of whom I think ,
Be here , an admired quest !
If [you with] the brilliant white colt ,
Would brightly come to me ,
You should be a duke , you should be a marquis ,
Enjoying yourself without end .
Be on your guard against idly wandering ;
Deal vigorously with your thoughts of retirement .
The brilliant white colt ,
Is there in that empty valley ,
With a bundle of fresh grass .
Its owner is like a gem .
Do not make the news of you rare as gold and gems , --
Indulging your purpose to abandon me .
187.HUANG NIAO
Yellow bird , yellow bird ,
Do not settle on the broussonetias ,
Do not eat my paddy .
The people of this country ,
Are not willing to treat me well .
I will return , I will go back ,
Back to my country and kin .
Yellow bird , yellow bird ,
Do not settle on the mulberry trees ,
Do not eat my maize .
The people of this country ,
Will not let me come to an understanding with them .
I will return , I will go back ,
Back to my brethren .
Yellow bird , yellow bird ,
Do not settle on the oaks ,
Do not eat my grand millet .
The people of this country ,
I cannot dwell with .
I will return , I will go back ,
Back to my uncles .
188.WO XING QI YE
I travelled through the country ,
Where the Fetid tree grew luxuriant .
Because of our affinity by marriage ,
I went to reside with you .
But you do not entertain me ;
And I go back to my country and clan .
I travelled through the country ,
Gathering the sheep's-foot .
Because of our affinity by marriage ,
I came to lodge with you .
But you do not entertain me ;
And I will return , I will go back .
I travelled through the country ,
Gathering the pokeweed .
You do not think of our old affinity ,
And seek to please your new relative .
If indeed you are not influenced by her riches ,
You still are so by the difference [between the new and the old] .
189.SI GAN
By the graceful sweep of these banks ,
With the southern hill , so calm in the distance ,
[Has the palace arisen] , firm as the roots of a clump of bamboos ,
[With its roof] like the luxuriant head of a pine tree .
May the brothers [here] ,
Be loving among themselves ,
And have no schemings against one another !
Having entered into the inheritance of his ancestors ,
He has built his chambers , five thousand cubits of walls ,
With their doors to the west and to the south .
Here will he reside ; here will he sit ;
Here will he laugh ; here will he talk .
They bound the frames for the earth , exactly over one another ;
Tuo-tuo went on the pounding ; --
Impervious [the walls] to wind and rain ,
offering no cranny to bird or rat .
A grand dwelling is it for our noble lord .
Like a man on tip-toe , in reverent expectation ;
Like an arrow , flying rapidly ;
Like a bird which has changed its feathers ;
Like a pheasant on flying wings ;
Is the [hall] which our noble lord will ascend .
Level and smooth is the court-yard ,
And lofty are the pillars around it .
Pleasant is the exposure of the chamber to the light ,
And deep and wide are its recesses ; --
Here will our noble lord repose .
On the rush-mat below , and that of fine bamboos above it ,
Here may he repose in slumber !
May he sleep and awake ,
[Saying] ' Divine for me my dreams .
What dreams are lucky ?
They have been of bears and grisly bears ;
They have been of cobras and [other] serpents . '
The chief diviner will divine them .
The bears and grisly bears ,
Are the auspicious intimations of sons .
The cobras and [other] serpents ,
Are the auspicious intimations of daughters .
Sons shall be born to him : --
They will be put to sleep on couches ;
They will be clothed in robes ;
They will have sceptres to play with ;
Their cry will be loud .
They will be [hereafter] resplendent with red knee-covers ,
The [future] king , the princes of the land .
Daughters shall be born to him : --
They will be put to sleep on the ground ;
They will be clothed with wrappers ;
They will have tiles to play with .
It will be theirs neither to do wrong nor to do good .
Only about the spirits and the food will they have to think ,
And to cause no sorrow to their parents .
190.WU YANG
Who can say that you have no sheep ?
There are three hundred in [each] herd .
Who says that you have no cattle ?
There are ninety , which are black-lipped .
Your sheep come ,
Horned , but all agreeing .
Your cattle come ,
Flapping their ears .
Some are descending among the mounds ;
Some are drinking at the pools ;
Some are lying down , some are moving about .
Your herdsmen come ,
Bearing their rain-coats and bamboo-hats ,
Or carrying on their backs their provisions .
In thirties are the creatures arranged according to their colours ;
For your victims there is abundant provision .
Your herdsmen come ,
With their large faggots , and smaller branches ,
And with their prey of birds and beasts .
Your sheep come ,
Vigorous and strong ,
None injured , no infection in the herd .
At the wave of the [herdsman's] arm ,
All come , all go up [into the fold] .
Your herdsmen shall dream , --
of multitudes and then of fishes ;
of the tortoise-and serpent ; and then of the falcon banners .
The chief diviner will divine the dreams ,
How the multitudes dissolving into fishes ,
Betoken plentiful years ;
How the tortoise-and-serpent dissolving into falcon banners ,
Betoken the increasing population of the kingdom .
191.JIE NAN SHAN
Lofty is that southern hill ,
With its masses of rocks !
Awe-inspiring are you , O [Grand] master Yin ,
And the people all look to you !
A fire burns in their grieving hearts ;
They do not dare to speak of you even in jest .
The kingdom is verging to extinction ; --
How is it that you do not consider the state of things ?
Lofty is that southern hill ,
And vigorously grows the vegetation on it !
Awe-inspiring are you , O [Grand] master Yin ,
But how is it that you are so unjust ?
Heaven is continually redoubling its afflictions ;
Deaths and disorder increase and multiply ;
No words of satisfaction come from the people ;
And yet you do not correct nor bemoan yourself !
The Grand-master Yin ,
Is the foundation of our Zhou ,
And the balance of the State is in his hands .
He should be keeping together the four quarters [of the kingdom] ;
He should be aiding the Son of Heaven ,
So as to preserve the people from going astray .
O unpitying great Heaven ,
It is not right he should reduce us all to such misery !
Doing nothing himself personally ,
The people have no confidence in him ,
By making no inquiry , and no trial of their services ,
He should not deal deceitfully with superior men .
By dismissing them on the requirement of justice ,
Mean men would not be endangering [the common weal] ;
And his mean relatives ,
Would not be in offices of importance .
Great Heaven , unjust ,
Is sending down these exhausting disorders .
Great Heaven , unkind ,
Is sending down these great miseries .
Let superior men come [into office] ,
And that would bring rest to the people's hearts .
Let superior men do justly ,
And the animosities and angers would disappear .
O unpitying , great Heaven ,
There is no end to the disorder !
With every month it continues to grow ,
So that the people have no repose .
I am as if intoxicated with the grief of my heart .
Who holds the ordering of the kingdom ?
Not attending himself to the government ,
The issue is toil and pain to the people .
I yoke my four steeds ,
My four steeds , long-necked .
I look to the four quarters [of the kingdom] ;
Distress is everywhere ; there is nowhere I can drive to .
Now your evil is rampant ,
And I see your spears .
Again you are pacified and friendly ,
As if you were pledging one another .
From great Heaven is the injustice ,
And our king has no repose .
[Yet] he will not correct his heart ,
And goes on to resent endeavours to rectify him .
I , Jia-fu , have made this song ,
To lay bare the king's disorders .
If you would but change your heart ,
And nourish the myriad States ! --
192.ZHENG YUE
In the first month [of summer] the hoar-frost abounds ,
And my heart is wounded with sorrow .
The false calumnies of the people ,
Also wax greater and greater .
I think how I stand alone ,
And the sorrow of my heart grows intense .
Alas ! through my anxious cares ,
My hidden sorrow goes on to make me ill .
Ye parents who gave me birth !
Was it to make me suffer this pain ?
[Why was this time] not before me ?
Or [why was it] not after me ?
Their good words are [only] from the mouth ;
Their bad words are [only] from the mouth .
The sorrow of my heart becomes greater ,
And because of this I incur contempt .
My sorrow heart is very sad ;
I think of my unfortunate position .
The innocent people ,
Will all be reduced to servitude with me .
Alas for me !
From whom shall I henceforth get support ?
I see a crow which will rest ,
-- But on whose house ?
Look into the middle of the forest ;
There are [only] large faggots and small branches in it .
The people now amidst their perils ,
Look to Heaven , all dark .
But let its determination be fixed ,
And there is none whom it will not overcome .
There is the great God , --
Does He hate any one ?
If one say of a hill that it is low ,
There are its ridges , and its large masses .
The false calumnies of the people , --
How is it that you do not repress them ?
You call those experienced ancients ;
You consult the diviner of dreams :
They all say , ' We are wise ;
But who can distinguish the male and female crow ? '
We say of the heavens that they are high ,
But I dare not but stoop under them .
We say of the earth that it is thick ,
But I dare not but walk daintily on it .
For my freely expressing myself thus ,
I have reason , I have good ground .
Alas for the men of this time !
Why are they such cobras and efts ?
Look at that rugged and stony field ; --
Luxuriantly rises in it the springing grain !
[But] Heaven moves and shakes me ,
As if it could not overcome me .
They sought me [at first] to be a pattern [to them] ,
[Eagerly] as if they could not get me .
[Now] they regard me with great animosity ,
And will not use my strength .
My heart with its sorrow ,
Feels as if it were tied and bound by something .
This government of the present time , --
How oppressive it is !
The flames , when they are blazing ,
May still perhaps be extinguished ;
But the majestic honoured capital of Zhou ,
Is being destroyed by Si of Bao .
This issue is ever my anxious thought .
Moreover , you have the embarrassment of soaking rain .
Your carriage is loaded ,
And if you throw away your wheel-aids ,
Your load will be overturned ,
And you will be crying , ' O sir , help me ! '
If you do throw away your wheel-aids ,
Which give asistance to the spokes ;
And if you constantly look after the driver ,
You will not overturn your load ,
And in the end will get over the most difficult places ;
But you have not thought of this .
The fish are in the pond ,
But they cannot enjoy themselves .
Although they dive to the bottom ,
They are very clearly seen .
My sorrow heart is deeply pained ,
When I think of the oppression in the kingdom .
They have their good spirits ,
And their fine viands along with them .
They assemble their neighbours ,
And their relatives are full of their praise .
When I think of my solitariness ,
My sorrowing heart is full of distress .
Mean-like , those have their houses ;
Abjects , they will have their emoluments .
But the people now have no maintenance .
For Heaven is pounding them with its calamities ,
The rich may get through ,
But alas for the helpless and solitary !
193.SHI YUE ZI JIAO
At the conjunction [of the sun and moon] in the tenth month ,
On the first day of the moon , which was Xin-mao ,
The sun was eclipsed ,
A thing of very evil omen .
Then the moon became small ,
And now the sun became small .
Henceforth the lower people ,
Will be in a very deplorable case .
The sun and moon announce evil ,
Not keeping to their proper paths .
All through the kingdom there is no [proper] government ,
Because the good are not employed .
For the moon to be eclipsed ,
Is but an ordinary matter .
Now that the sun has been eclipsed , --
How bad it is !
Grandly flashes the lightning of the thunder ; --
There is a want of rest , a want of good .
The streams all bubble up and overflow .
The crags on the hill-tops fall down .
High banks become valleys ;
Deep valleys become hills .
Alas for the men of this time !
How does [the king] not stop these things ?
Huang-fu is the president ;
Fan is the minister of instruction ;
Jia-bo is the [chief] administrator ;
Zhong-yun is the chief cook ;
Zou is the recorder of the interior ;
Jue is master of the house ;
Yu is captain of the guards ;
And the beautiful wife blazes , now in possession of her place .
This Huang-fu ,
Will not acknowledge that he is acting out of season .
But why does he call us to action ,
Without coming and consulting with us ?
He has removed our walls and roofs ,
And our fields are all either a marsh or a moor .
He says , ' I am not injuring you ;
The laws require that thus it should be ? '
Huang-fu is very wise ;
He has built a great city for himself in Xiang .
He chose three men as his ministers ,
All of them indeed of great wealth .
He could not bring himself to leave a single minister ,
Who might guard our king .
He [also] selected those who had chariots and horses ,
To go and reside in Xiang .'
I have exerted myself to discharge my service ,
And do not dare to make a report of my toils .
Without crime or offense of any kind ,
Slanderous mouths are loud against me .
[But] the calamities of the lower people ,
Do not come down from Heaven .
A multitide of [fair] words , and hatred behind the back , --
The earnest , strong pursuit of this is from men .
Distant far is my village ,
And my dissatisfaction is great .
In other quarters there is ease ,
And I dwell here alone and sorrowful .
Every body is going into retirement ,
And I alone dare not seek rest .
The ordinances of Heaven are inexplicable ,
But I will not dare to follow my friends and leave my post .
194.YU WU ZHENG
Great and wide Heaven ,
How is it you have contracted your kindness ,
Sending down death and famine ,
Destroying all through the kingdom ?
Compassionate Heaven , arrayed in terrors ,
How is it you exercise no forethought , no care ?
Let alone the criminals : --
They have suffered for their offences ;
But those who have no crime ,
Are indiscriminately involved in ruin .
The honoured House of Zhou is [nearly] extinguished ,
And there is no means of stopping or settling [the troubles] .
The Heads of the officers have left their places ,
And no one knows my toil .
The three high ministers , and [other] great officers ,
Are unwilling [to attend to their duties] early and late .
The lords of the various States ,
Are unwilling [to appear at court] morning and evening .
If indeed he would turn to good , --
But on the contrary he proceeds to [greater] evil .
How is it , O great Heaven ,
That he will not hearken to the justest words ?
He is like a man going [astray] ,
[Who knows] not where he will proceed to .
All ye officers ,
Let each of you reverently attend to his duties .
How do ye not stand in awe of one another ?
Ye do not stand in awe of Heaven .
War has done its work , but he withdraws not [from evil] ;
Famine has done its work , but he goes not on [to good] ;
So that I , a [mere] groom of the chambers ,
Am full of grief and in pain daily .
All ye officers ,
Ye are unwilling to declare [the truth to him] .
When you hear a question , you [simply] answer it ,
And when slander touches you , you withdraw .
Alas that [right words] cannot be spoken ,
Which come not from the tongue [only] !
The speakers of them are sure to suffer .
Well is it for the words that can be spoken !
The artful speech flows like a stream ,
And the speakers dwell at ease in prosperity .
It may be said about taking office ,
That it is full of hazard and peril .
By [advice] that he says cannot be followed ,
You offend against the Son of Heaven .
By advice that he says will be followed ,
You excite the resentment of your friends .
I say to you , ' Remove to the royal capital , '
And ye say that you have not got houses there .
Painful are my inmost thoughts , and I weep blood ; --
Every word I speak makes me hated ;
But when you formerly left to reside elsewhere ,
Who was it that made houses for you ?
Decade of Xiao Min
195.XIAO MIN
The angry terrors of Compassionate Heaven ,
Extend through this lower world ;
[The king's] counsels and plans are crooked and bad ; --
When will he stop [in the course] ?
Counsels which are good he will not follow ,
And those which are not good he employs ,
When I look at his counsels and plans ,
I am greatly pained .
Now they agree , and now they defame one another ; --
The case is greatly to be deplored .
If a counsel be good ,
They all are found opposing it .
If a counsel be bad ,
They all are found according with it .
When I look at such counsels and plans ,
What will they come to ?
Our tortoises are wearied out ,
And will not tell us anything about the plans .
The counsellors are very many ,
But on that account nothing is accomplished .
The speakers fill the court ,
But who dares to take any responsibility on himself ?
We are as if we consulted [about a journey] without taking a step in advance ,
And therefore did not get on on the road .
Alas ! our formers of plans ,
Do not take the ancients for their pattern ,
And do not regulate them by great principles .
They only hearken to shallow words ,
And quarrel about shallow words ,
They are like one taking counsel with wayfarers about building a house .
Which will consequently never come to completion .
Although the kingdom be unsettled ,
There are some who are wise , and others who are not .
Although the people may not be numerous ,
Some have perspicacity , some have counsel ,
Some have gravity , and some have orderliness .
But we are going on like the stream flowing from a spring ,
And will sink together in a common ruin .
They dare not without weapons attack a tiger ;
They dare not without a boat cross the He .
They know one thing ,
But they only know that one .
We should be apprehensive and careful ,
As if we were on the brink of a deep gulf ,
As if we were treading on thin ice .
196.XIAO WAN
Small is the cooing dove ,
But it flies aloft up to heaven .
My heart is wounded with sorrow ,
And I think of our forefathers .
When the dawn is breaking , and I cannot sleep ,
The thoughts in my breast are of our parents .
Men who are grave and wise ,
Though they drink , are mild and masters of themselves ;
But those who are benighted and ignorant ,
Are devoted to drink , and more so daily .
Be careful , each of you , of your deportment ; --
What Heaven confers , [when once lost] , is not regained .
In the midst of the plain there is pulse ,
And the common people gather it .
The mulberry insect has young ones ,
And the sphex carries them away .
Teach and train your sons ,
And they will become good as you are .
Look at the wagtail ,
Flying , and at the same time twittering .
My days are advancing ;
Your months are going on .
Rising early and going to sleep late ,
Do not disgrace those who gave you birth .
The greenbeaks come and go ,
Pecking up grain about the stack-yard .
Alas for the distressed and solitary ,
Deemed fit inmates for the prisons !
With a handful of grain I go out and divine ,
How I may be able to become good .
We must be mild , and humble ,
As if we were perched on trees .
We must be anxious and careful ,
As if we were on the brink of a valley .
We must be apprehensive and cautious ,
As if we were treading upon thin ice .
197.XIAO BIAN
With flapping wings the crows ,
Come back , flying all in a flock .
Other people all are happy ,
And I only am full of misery .
What is my offence against Heaven ?
What is my crime ?
My heart is sad ; --
What is to be done ?
The way to Zhou should be level and easy ,
But it is all overgrown with rank grass .
My heart is wounded with sorrow ,
And I think till I feel as if pounded [all over] .
I lie down undressed , and sigh continually ;
Through my grief I am growing old .
My heart is sad ; --
It puts me in pain like a headache .
Even the mulberry trees and the Zi ,
Must be regarded with reverence :
But no one is to be looked up to like a father ;
No one is to be depended on like a mother .
Have I not a connection with the hairs [of my father] ?
Did I not dwell in the womb [of my mother] ?
O Heaven who gave me birth !
How was it at such an inauspicious time ?
Luxuriant grow those willows ,
And the cicadas [on them] go hui-hui .
Deep looks the pool ,
And abundantly grow the rushes and reeds [about it] ,
[But] I am like a boat adrift , --
Where it will go you know not .
My heart is sad ; --
I have not leisure to lie down [even] undressed .
The stag is running away ,
But his legs move slowly .
The pheasant crows in the morning ,
Seeking his mate .
I am like a ruined tree ,
Stript by disease of all its branches .
My heart is sad ; --
How is it that no one knows me ?
Look at the hare seeking protection ; --
Some one will step in before and save it .
One the road there is a dead man ;
Some one will bury him .
[But] such is the heart of our sovereign ,
That there is nothing he cannot bear to do .
My heart is sad ,
So that my tears are falling down .
Our sovereign believes slanders ,
As readily as he joins in the pledge cup .
Our sovereign is unkind ,
And does not leisurely examine into things .
The tree-fellers follow the lean of the tree ;
The faggot-cleavers follow the direction of the grain ;
[But] he lets alone the guilty ,
And imputes guilt to me .
There is nothing higher than a mountain ;
There is nothing deeper than a [great] spring .
Our sovereign should not lightly utter his words ,
Lest an ear be laid close to the wall .
Do not approach my dam ;
Do not remove my basket .
My person is rejected ; --
of what use is it to care for what may come after ?
198.QIAO YAN
O vast and distant Heaven ,
Who art called our parent ,
That without crime or offence ,
I should suffer from disorders thus great !
The terrors of great Heaven are excessive ,
But indeed I have committed no crime .
[The terrors of] great Heaven are very excessive ,
But indeed I have committed no offence .
Disorder then comes to the birth ,
When the first untruth is received .
Its further increase ,
Is from our sovereign's believing the slanderers .
If he were to be angry [with them] ,
The disorder would probably quickly be abated ;
If he were to show his joy [in the good] ,
The disorder would probably quickly cease .
Our sovereign makes frequent covenants ,
And the disorders are thereby increased .
He believes the scoundrels ,
And the disorders thereby grow into oppression .
Their words are very sweet ,
And the disorders thereby advance .
They do not discharge their duties ,
But only create distress to the king .
Very grand is the ancestral temple ; --
A true sovereign made it .
Wisely arranged are the great plans ; --
Sages determined them .
What other men have in their minds ,
I can measure by reflection .
Swiftly runs the crafty hare ,
But it is caught by the hound .
Trees of soft wood , easily wrought ,
Are planted by wise men .
The words of way-farers that come and go ,
Can be discriminated by the mind .
Their easy and grand words ,
[Only] issue from their mouths .
Their artful words , like organ-tongues ,
Show how unblushing are their faces .
Who are they ?
They [are like men who] dwell on the banks of the river ;
And they have neither strenghth nor courage ,
While yet they rear the steps of disorder !
With legs ulcerated and swollen ,
What courage can you have ?
You form plans great and many ,
But your followers about you are few .
199.HE REN SI
What man was that ?
His mind is full of dangerous devices .
Why did he approach my dam ,
Without entering my gate ?
of whom is he a follower ?
I venture to say , -- of Bao .
Those two follow each other in their goings ; --
Which of them wrought me this calamity ?
Why came he to my dam ,
Without entering to condole with me ?
Our former relations were different from the present ,
When he will have nothing to do with me .
What man was it ?
Why came he to the path inside my gate ?
I heard his voice ,
But did not see his person .
He is not ashamed before men ;
He does not stand in awe of Heaven .
What man was it ?
He is like a violent wind .
Why came he not from the north ?
Or why not from the south ?
Why did he approach my dam ,
Doing nothing but perturb my mind ?
You go along slowly ,
And yet you have not leisure to stop !
You go along rapidly ,
And yet you have leisure to grease your wheels !
If you would come to me but once ! --
Why am I kept in a state of expectation ?
If on your return you entered my house ,
My heart would be relieved .
When on your return you do not enter it ,
It is hard to understand your denial .
If you would come to me but once ,
It would set me at rest .
The elder of us blew the porcelain whistle ,
And the younger blew the bamboo flute ;
I was as if strung on the same string with you .
If indeed you do not understand me ,
Here are the three creatures [for sacrifice] ,
And I will take an oath to you .
If you were an imp or a water-bow ,
You could not be got at .
But when one with face and eyes stands opposite to another ,
The man can be seen through and through .
I have made this good song ,
To probe to the utmost your veerings and turnings .
200.XIANG BO
A few elegant lines ,
May be made out to be shell-embroidery .
Those slanderers ,
Have gone to great excess .
A few diverging points ,
May be made out to be the southern Sieve .
Those slanderers !
Who devised their schemes for them ?
With babbling mouths you go about ,
Scheming and wishing to slander others ,
[But] be careful of your words ; --
[People] will [yet] say that you are untruthful .
Clever you are , and ever changing .
In your schemes and wishes to slander .
They receive it [now] indeed ,
But by and by it will turn to your own hurt .
The proud are delighted ,
And the troubled are in sorrow .
O azure Heaven ! O azure Heaven !
Look on those proud men ,
Pity those troubled .
Those slanderers !
Who devised their schemes for them ?
I would take those slanderers ,
And throw them to wolves and tigers .
If these refused to devour them ,
I would cast them into the north .
If the north refused to receive them ,
I would throw them into the hands of great [Heaven] .
The way through the willow garden ,
Lies near the acred height .
I , the eunuch Meng-zi ,
Have made this poem .
All ye officers ,
Reverently hearken to it .
