Lessons From The States - Shi Jing-01
The Odes of Zhou And The South
1.GUAN SUI
Guan-guan go the ospreys ,
On the islet in the river .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
For our prince a good mate she .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ,
To the left , to the right , borne about by the current .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
Waking and sleeping , he sought her .
He sought her and found her not ,
And waking and sleeping he thought about her .
Long he thought ; oh ! long and anxiously ;
On his side , on his back , he turned , and back again .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ;
On the left , on the right , we gather it .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
With lutes , small and large , let us give her friendly welcome .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ;
On the left , on the right , we cook and present it .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
With bells and drums let us show our delight in her .
2.GE TAN
How the dolichos spread itself out ,
Extending to the middle of the valley !
Its leaves were luxuriant ;
The yellow birds flew about ,
And collected on the thickly growing trees ,
Their pleasant notes resounding far .
How the dolichos spread itself out ,
Extending to the middle of the valley !
Its leaves were luxuriant and dense .
I cut it and I boiled it ,
And made both fine cloth and coarse ,
Which I will wear without getting tired of it .
I have told the matron ,
Who will announce that I am going to see my parents .
I will wash my private clothes clean ,
And I will rinse my robes .
Which need to be rinsed , which do not ?
I am going back to visit my parents.
3.JUAN ER
I was gathering and gathering the mouse-ear ,
But could not fill my shallow basket .
With a sigh for the man of my heart ,
I placed it there on the highway .
I was ascending that rock-covered height ,
But my horses were too tired to breast it .
I will now pour a cup from that gilded vase ,
Hoping I may not have to think of him long .
I was ascending that lofty ridge ,
But my horses turned of a dark yellow .
I will now take a cup from that rhinoceros' horn ,
Hoping I may not have long to sorrow .
I was ascending that flat-topped height ,
But my horses became quite disabled ,
And my servants were [also] disabled .
Oh ! how great is my sorrow !
4.JIU MU
In the south are trees with curved drooping branches ,
With the doliches creepers clinging to them .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she repose in her happiness and dignity !
In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches ,
Covered by the dolichos creepers .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she be great in her happiness and dignity !
In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches ,
Round which the dolichos creepers twine .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she be complete in her happiness and dignity !
5.ZHONG SI
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How harmoniously you collect together !
Right is it that your descendants
Should be multitudinous !
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How sound your wings in flight !
Right is it that your descendents
Should be as in unbroken strings !
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How you cluster together !
Right is it that your descendents
Should be in swarms !
6. TAO YAO
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Brilliant are its flowers .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her chamber and house .
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Abundant will be its fruits .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her chamber and house .
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Luxuriant are its leaves .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her family .
7.TU JU
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ;
Clang clang go the blows on the pegs .
That stalwart , martial man
Might be shield and wall to his prince .
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ,
And placed where many ways meet .
That stalwart , martial man
Would be a good companion for his prince .
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ,
And placed in the midst of the forest .
That stalwart , martial man
Might be head and heart to his prince .
8.FOU YI
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we may gather them .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we have got them .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we pluck the ears .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we rub out the seeds .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we place the seeds in our skirts .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we tuck out skirts under our girdles .
9.HAN GUANG
In the south rise the trees without branches ,
Affording no shelter .
By the Han are girls rambling about ,
But it is vain to solicit them .
The breath of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
Many are the bundles of firewood ;
I would cut down the thorns [to form more] .
Those girls that are going to their future home , --
I would feed their horses .
The breadth of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang ,
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
Many are the bundles of firewood ;
I would cut down the southern wood [to form more] .
Those girls that are going to their future home , --
I would feed their colts .
The breadth of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
10.RU FEN
Along those raised banks of the Ru ,
I cut down the branches and slender stems .
While I could not see my lord ,
I felt as it were pangs of great hunger .
Along those raised banks of the Ru ,
I cut down the branches and fresh twigs .
I have seen my lord ;
He has not cast me away .
The bream is showing its tail all red ;
The royal House is like a blazing fire .
Though it be like a blazing fire ,
Your parents are very near .
11.LIN ZHI ZHI
The feet of the Lin : --
The noble sons of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
The forehead of the Lin : --
The noble grandsons of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
The horn of the Lin : --
The noble kindred of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
The Odes of Shao And The South
12.QUE CHAO
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove dwells in it .
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are meeting her .
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove possesses it .
This young lady is going to her future home ;
A hundred carriages are escorting her .
The nest is the magpie's ;
The dove fills it .
This young lady is going to her future home ;
These hundreds of carriages complete her array .
13.CAI FAN
She gathers the white southernwood ,
By the ponds , on the islets .
She employs it ,
In the business of our prince .
She gathers the white southernwood ,
Along the streams in the valleys .
She employs it ,
In the temple of our prince .
With head-dress reverently rising aloft ,
Early , while yet it is night, she is in the prince's temple ;
In her dead-dress, slowly retiring ,
She returns to her own apartments .
14.CAO CHONG
Yao-yao went the grass-insects ,
And the hoppers sprang about .
While I do not see my lord ,
My sorrowful heart is agitated .
Let me have seen him ,
Let me have met him ,
And my heart will then be stilled .
I ascended that hill in the south ,
And gathered the turtle-foot ferns .
While I do not see my lord ,
My sorrowful heart is very sad .
Let me have seen him ,
Let me have met him ,
And my heart will then be pleased .
I ascended that hill in the south ,
And gathered the thorn-ferns .
While I do not see my lord ,
My sorrowful heart is wounded with grief .
Let me have seen him ,
Let me have met him ,
And my heart will then be at peace .
15.CAI PING
She gathers the large duckweed ,
By the banks of the stream in the southern valley .
She gathers the pondweed ,
In those pools left by the floods .
She deposits what she gathers ,
In her square baskets and round ones
She boils it ,
In her tripods and pans .
She sets forth her preparations ,
Under the window in the ancestral chamber .
Who superintends the business ?
It is [this] reverent young lady .
16.GAN TANG
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ;
Clip it not, hew it not down .
Under it the chief of Zhou lodged .
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ;
Clip it not , break not a twig of it .
Under it the chief of Zhou rested .
[This] umbrageous sweet pear-tree ;
Clip it not , bend not a twig of it .
Under it the chief of Zhou halted .
17.XING LU
Wet lay the dew on the path : --
Might I not [have walked there] in the early dawn ?
But I said there was [too] much dew on the path .
Who can say the sparrow has no horn ?
How else can it bore through my house ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial ,
Your ceremonies for betrothal were not sufficient .
Who can say that the rat has no molar teeth ?
How else could it bore through my wall ?
Who can say that you did not get me betrothed ?
How else could you have urged on this trial ?
But though you have forced me to trial ,
I will still not follow you .
18.GAO YANG
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins ,
With their five braidings of white silk !
They have retired from the court to take their their meal ;
Easy are they and self-possesed .
[Those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins ,
With their five seams wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired from the court to take their their meal .
The seams of [those] lamb-skins and sheep-skins ,
The five joinings wrought with white silk !
Easy are they and self-possessed ;
They have retired to take their their meal from the court .
19.YIN QI LEI
Grandly rolls the thunder ,
On the south of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this ,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder ,
About the sides of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this ,
Not daring to take a little rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
Grandly rolls the thunder ,
At the foot of the southern hill !
How was it he went away from this ,
Not remaining a little at rest ?
My noble lord !
May he return ! May he return !
20.BIAO YOU MEI
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] seven [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me ,
This is the fortunate time !
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
There are [but] three [tenths] of them left !
For the gentlemen who seek me ,
Now is the time .
Dropt are the fruits from the plum-tree ;
In my shallow basket I have collected them .
Would the gentlemen who seek me
[Only] speak about it !
21.XIAO XING
Small are those starlets ,
Three or five of them in the east ,
Swiftly by night we go ;
In the early dawn we are with the prince .
Our lot is not like hers .
Small are those starlets ,
And there are Orion and the Pleiades .
Swiftly by night we go ,
Carrying our coverlets and sheets .
Our lot is not like hers .
22.JIANG YOU SI
The Jiang has its branches , led from it and returning to it .
Our lady , when she was married ,
Would not employ us .
She would not employ us ;
But afterwards she repented .
The Jiang has its islets .
Our lady , when she was married ,
Would not let us be with her .
She would not let us be with her ;
But afterwards she repressed [such feelings] .
The Jiang has the Tuo .
Our lady , when she was married ,
Would not come near us
She would not come near us ;
But she blew that feeling away , and sang .
23.YE YOU SI JUN
In the wild there is a dead antelope ,
And it is wrapped up with the white grass .
There is a young lady with thoughts natural to the spring ,
And a fine gentleman would lead her astray .
In the forest there are the scrubby oaks ;
In the wild there is a dead deer ,
And it is bound round with the white grass .
There is a young lady like a gem .
[She says] , Slowly ; gently , gently ;
Do not move my handkerchief ;
Do not make my dog bark .
24.HE BI NONG YI
How great is that luxuriance ,
Those flowers of the sparrow-plum !
Are they not expressive of reverence and harmony , --
The carriages of the king's daughter ?
How great is that luxuriance ,
The flowers like those of the peach-tree or the plum !
[See] the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king ,
And the son of the reverent marquis !
What are used in angling ?
Silk threads formed into lines .
The son of the reverent marquis ,
And the grand-daughter of the tranquillizing king !
25.ZOU YU
Strong and abundant grow the rushes ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars .
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
Strong and abundant grow the artemisia ;
He discharges [but] one arrow at five wild boars .
Ah ! he is the Zou-yu !
The Odes of Bei
26.BO ZHOU
It floats about , that boat of cypress wood ;
Yea , it floats about on the current .
Disturbed am I and sleepless ,
As if suffering from a painful wound .
It is not because I have no wine ,
And that I might not wander and saunder about .
My mind is not a mirror ; --
It cannot [equally] receive [all impressions] .
I , indeed , have brothers ,
But I cannot depend on them ,
I meet with their anger .
My mind is not a stone ; --
It cannot be rolled about .
My mind is not a mat ; --
It cannot be rolled up .
My deportment has been dignified and good ,
With nothing wrong which can be pointed out .
My anxious heart is full of trouble ;
I am hated by the herd of mean creatures ;
I meet with many distresses ;
I receive insults not a few .
Silently I think of my case ,
And , starting as from sleep , I beat my breast .
There are the sun and moon , --
How is it that the former has become small , and not the latter ?
The sorrow cleaves to my heart ,
Like an unwashed dress .
Silently I think of my case ,
But I cannot spread my wings and fly away .
27.LU YI
Green is the upper robe ,
Green with a yellow lining !
The sorrow of my heart , --
How can it cease ?
Green is the upper robe ,
Green the upper , and yellow the lower garment !
The sorrow of my heart , --
How can it be forgotten ?
[Dyed] green has been the silk ; --
It was you who did it .
[But] I think of the ancients ,
That I may be kept from doing wrong .
Linen , fine or coarse ,
Is cold when worn in the wind .
I think of the ancients ,
And find what is in my heart .
28.YAN YAN
The swallows go flying about ,
With their wings unevenly displayed .
The lady was returning [to her native state] ,
And I escorted her far into the country .
I looked till I could no longer see her ,
And my tears fell down like rain .
The swallows go flying about ,
Now up , now down .
The lady was returning [to her native state] ,
And far did I accompany her .
I looked till I could no longer see her ,
And long I stood and wept .
The swallows go flying about ;
From below , from above , comes their twittering .
The lady was returning [to her native state] ,
And far did I escort her to the south .
I looked till I could no longer see her ,
And great was the grief of my heart .
Lovingly confiding was lady Zhong ;
Truly deep was her feeling .
Both gentle was she and docile ,
Virtuously careful of her person .
In thinking of our deceased lord ,
She stimulated worthless me .
29.RI YUE
O sun ; O moon ,
Which enlightens this lower earth !
Here is the man ,
Who treats me not according to the ancient rule .
How can he get his mind settled ?
Would he then not regard me ?
O sun ; O moon ,
Which overshadow this lower earth !
Here is this man ,
Who will not be friendly with me .
How can he get his mind settled ?
Would he then not respond to me ?
O sun ; O moon ,
Which come forth from the east !
Here is the man ,
With virtuous words , but really not good .
How can he get his mind settled ?
Would he then allow me to be forgotten ?
O sun ; o moon ,
From the east which come forth !
O father , O mother ,
There is no sequel to your nourishing of me .
How can he get his mind settled ?
Would he then respond to me , contrary to all reason ?
30.ZHONG FENG
The wind blows and is fierce ,
He looks at me and smiles ,
With scornful words and dissolute , -- the smile of pride .
To the center of my heart I am grieved .
The wind blows , with clouds of dust .
Kindly he seems to be willing to come to me ;
[But] he neither goes nor comes .
Long , long , do I think of him .
The wind blew , and the sky was cloudy ;
Before a day elapses , it is cloudy again .
I awake , and cannot sleep ;
I think of him , and gasp .
All cloudy is the darkness ,
And the thunder keeps muttering .
I awake and cannot sleep ;
I think of him , and my breast is full of pain .
31.JI GU
Hear the roll of our drums !
See how we leap about , using our weapons !
Those do the fieldwork in the State , or fortify Cao ,
While we alone march to the south .
We followed Sun Zizhong ,
Peace having been made with Chen and Song;
[But] he did not lead us back ,
And our sorrowful hearts are very sad .
Here we stay , here we stop ;
Here we lose our horses ;
And we seek for them ,
Among the trees of the forest .
For life or for death , however separated ,
To our wives we pledged our word .
We held their hands ; --
We were to grow old together with them .
Alas for our separation !
We have no prospect of life .
Alas for our stipulation !
We cannot make it good .
32.KAI FENG
The genial wind from the south
Blows on the heart of that jujube tree ,
Till that heart looks tender and beautiful .
What toil and pain did our mother endure !
The genial wind from the south
Blows on the branches of that jujube tree ,
Our mother is wise and good ;
But among us there is none good .
There is the cool spring
Below [the city of] Jun .
We are seven sons ,
And our mother is full of pain and suffering .
The beautiful yellow birds
Give forth their pleasant notes .
We are seven sons ,
And cannot compose our mother's heart .
33.XIONG ZHI
The male pheasant flies away ,
Lazily moving his wings .
The man of my heart ! --
He has brought on us this separation .
The pheasant has flown away ,
But from below, from above, comes his voice .
Ah ! the princely man ! --
He afflicts my heart .
Look at that sun and moon !
Long , long do I think .
The way is distant ;
How can he come to me ?
All ye princely men ,
Know ye not his virtuous conduct ?
He hates none ; he covets nothing ; --
What does he which is not good ?
34.PAO YOU KU YE
The gourd has [still] its bitter leaves ,
And the crossing at the ford is deep .
If deep , I will go through with my clothes on ;
If shallow , I will do so , holding them up .
The ford is full to overflowing ;
There is the note of the female pheasant .
The full ford will not wet the axle of my carriage ;
It is the pheasant calling for her mate .
The wild goose , with its harmonious notes ,
At sunrise , with the earliest dawn ,
By the gentleman , who wishes to bring home his bride ,
[Is presented] before the ice is melted .
The boatman keeps beckoning ;
And others cross with him , but I do not .
Others cross with him, but I do not ; --
I am waiting for my friend .
35.GU FENG
Gently blows the east wind ,
With cloudy skies and with rain .
[Husband and wife] should strive to be of the same mind ,
And not let angry feelings arise .
When we gather the mustard plant and earth melons ,
We do not reject them because of their roots .
While I do nothing contrary to my good name ,
I should live with you till our death .
I go along the road slowly , slowly ,
In my inmost heart reluctant .
Not far , only a little way ,
Did he accompany me to the threshold .
Who says that the sowthistle is bitter ?
It is as sweet as the shepherd's purse .
You feast with your new wife ,
[Loving] as brothers .
The muddiness of the King appears from the Wei ,
But its bottom may be seen about the islets .
You feast with your new wife ,
And think me not worth being with
Do not approach my dam ,
Do not move my basket .
My person is rejected ; --
What avails it to care for what may come after ?
Where the water was deep ,
I crossed it by a raft or a boat .
Where it was shallow ,
I dived or swam across it .
Whether we had plenty or not ,
I exerted myself to be getting .
When among others there was a death ,
I crawled on my knees to help them .
You cannot cherish me ,
And you even count me as an enemy .
You disdain my virtues , --
A pedlar's wares which do not sell .
Formerly , I was afraid our means might be exhausted ,
And I might come with you to destitution .
Now , when your means are abundant ,
You compare me to poison .
My fine collection of vegetables ,
Is but a provision against the winter .
Feasting with your new wife ,
You think of me as a provision [only] against your poverty .
Cavalierly and angrily you treat me ;
You give me only pain .
You do not think of the former days ,
And are only angry with me .
36.SHI WEI
Reduced ! Reduced !
Why not return ?
If it were not for your sake , O prince ,
How should we be thus exposed to the dew ?
Reduced ! Reduced !
Why not return ?
If it were not for your person , O prince ,
How should we be here in the mire ?
37. MAO QIU
The dolichos on that high and sloping mound ; --
How wide apart are [now] its joints !
O ye uncles ,
Why have ye delayed these many days ?
Why do they rest without stirring ?
It must be they expect allies .
Why do they prolong the time ?
There must be a reason for their conduct .
Our fox-furs are frayed and worn .
Came our carriages not eastwards ?
O ye uncles ,
You do not sympathize with us .
Fragments , and a remnant ,
Children of dispersion [are we] !
O ye uncles ,
Notwithstanding your full robes , your ears are stopped .
38.JIAN XI
Easy and indifferent ! easy and indifferent !
I am ready to perform in all dances ,
Then when the sun is in the meridian ,
There in that conspicious place .
With my large figure ,
I dance in the ducal courtyard .
I am strong [also] as a tiger ;
The reins are in my grasp like ribbons .
In my left hand I grasp a flute ;
In my right I hold a pheasant's feather .
I am red as if I were rouged ;
The duke gives me a cup [of spirits] .
The hazel grows on the hills ,
And the liquorice in the marshes .
of whom are my thoughts ?
of the fine men of the west .
O those fine men !
Those men of the west !
39.QUAN SHUI
How the water bubbles up from that spring ,
And flows away to the Qi !
My heart is in Wei ;
There is not a day I do not think of it .
Admirable are those , my cousins ;
I will take counsel with them .
When I came forth , I lodged in Ji ,
And we drank the cup of convoy at Ni .
When a young lady goes [to be married] ,
She leaves her parents and brothers ;
[But] I would ask for my aunts ,
And then for my elder sister .
I will go forth and lodge in Gan,
And we drink the cup of convoy at Yan .
I will grease the axle and fix the pin ,
And the returning chariot will proceed .
Quickly shall we arrive in Wei ; --
But would not this be wrong ?
I think of the Feiquan ,
I am ever sighing about it .
I think of Xu and Cao ,
Long , long , my heart dwells with them .
Let me drive forth and travel there ,
To dissipate my sorrow .
40.BEI MEN
I go out at the north gate ,
With my heart full of sorrow .
Straitened am I and poor ,
And no one takes knowledge of my distress .
So it is !
Heaven has done it ; --
What then shall I say ?
The king's business comes on me ,
And the affairs of our government in increasing measure .
When I come home from abroad ,
The members of my family all emulously reproach me .
So it is !
Heaven has done it ; --
What then shall I say ?
The king's business is thrown on me ,
And the affairs of our government are left to me more and more.
When I come home from abroad ,
The members of my family all emulously thrust at me .
So it is !
Heaven has done it ; --
What then shall I say ?
41.BEI FENG
Cold blows the north wind ;
Thick falls the snow .
Ye who love and regard me ,
Let us join hands and go together .
Is it a time for delay ?
The urgency is extreme !
The north wind whistles ;
The snow falls and drifts about .
Ye who love and regard me ,
Let us join hands , and go away for ever .
Is it a time for delay ?
The urgency is extreme !
Nothing red is seen but foxes ,
Nothing black but crows .
Ye who love and regard me ,
Let us join hands , and go together in our carriages .
Is it a time for delay ?
The urgency is extreme !
42.JING NU
How lovely is the retiring girl !
She was to await me at a corner of the wall .
Loving and not seeing her ,
I scratch my head , and am in perplexity .
How handsome is the retiring girl !
She presented to me a red tube .
Bright is the red tube ; --
I delight in the beauty of the girl .
From the pasture lands she gave a shoet of the white grass ,
Truly elegant and rare .
It is not you , O grass , that are elegant ; --
You are the gift of an elegant girl .
43.XIN TAI
Fresh and bright is the New Tower ,
On the waters of the He , wide and deep .
A pleasant , genial mate she sought ,
[And has got this] vicious bloated mass !
Lofty is the New Tower ,
On the waters of the He , flowing still .
A pleasant , genial mate she sought ,
[And has got this] vicious bloated mass !
It was a fish net that was set ,
And a goose has fallen into it .
A pleasant , genial mate she sought ,
And she has got this hunchback .
44.ER ZI CHENG ZHOU
The two youths got into their boats ,
Whose shadows floated about [on the water] .
I think longingly of them ,
And my heart is tossed about in uncertainty .
The two youths got into their boats ,
Which floated away [on the stream] .
I think longingly of them ,
Did they not come to harm ?
The Odes of Yong
45.BO ZHOU
It floats about , that boat of cypress wood ,
There in the middle of the He .
With his two tufts of hair falling over his forehead ,
He was my mate ;
And I swear that till death I will have no other .
O mother , O Heaven ,
Why will you not understand me ?
It floats about , that boat of cypress wood ,
There by the side of the He .
With his two tufts of hair falling over his forehead ,
He was my only one ;
And I swear that till death I will not do the evil thing .
O mother , O Heaven ,
Why will you not understand me ?
46.QIANG YOU CI
The tribulus grows on the wall ,
And cannot be brushed away .
The story of the inner chamber ,
Cannot be told .
What would have to be told ,
Would be the vilest of recitals .
The tribulus grow on the wall ,
And cannot be removed .
The story of the inner chamber ,
Cannot be particularly related .
What might be particularly related
Would be a long story .
The tribulus grow on the wall ,
And cannot be bound together , [and taken away] .
The story of the inner chamber
Cannot be recited ,
What might be recited ,
Would be the most disgraceful of things .
47.JUN ZI XIE LAO
The husband's to their old age ,
In her headdress , and the cross-pins , with their six jewels ;
Easy and elegant in her movements ;
[Stately] as a mountain , [majestic]as a river ,
Well beseeming her pictured robes : --
[But] with your want of virtue , O lady ,
What have you to do with these things ?
How rich and splendid
Is her pleasant-figured robe !
Her black hair in masses like clouds ,
No false locks does she descend to .
There are her ear-plugs of jade ,
Her comb-pin of ivory ,
And her high forehead , so white .
She appears like a visitant from heaven !
She appears like a goddess !
How rich and splendid
Is her robe of state !
It is worn over the finest muslin of dolichos ,
The more cumbrous and warm garment being removed .
Clear are her eyes ; fine is her forehead ;
Full are her temples .
Ah ! such a woman as this !
The beauty of the country !
48.SANG ZHONG
I am going to gather the dodder ,
In the fields of Mei .
But of whom are my thoughts ?
of that beauty , the eldest of the Jiang .
She made an appontment with me in Sangzhong ;
She will meet me in Shanggong ;
She will accompany me to Qishang.
I am going to gather the wheat,
In the north of Mei.
But of whom are my thoughts?
of that beauty, the eldest of the Yi.
She made an appontment with me in Sangzhong;
She will meet me in Shanggong;
She will accompany me to Qishang.
I am going to gather the mustard plant,,
In the east of Mei.
But of whom are my thoughts?
of that beauty, the eldest of the Yong.
She made an appontment with me in Sangzhong;
She will meet me in Shanggong;
She will accompany me to Qishang.
49.CHUN ZI BEN BEN
Boldly faithful in their pairings are quails ;
Vigorously so are magpies .
This man is all vicious ,
And I consider him my brother !
Vigorously faithful in their pairings are magpies ;
Boldly so are quails .
This woman is all vicious ,
And I regard her as marchioness .
50.DING ZHI FANG ZHONG
When [Ding] culminated [at night fall],
He began to build the palace at Chu .
Determining its aspects by means of the sun ,
He built the mansion at Chu .
He planted about it hazel and chesnut trees ,
The yi , the tong , the zi , and the varnish-tree ,
Which , when cut down , might afford materials for lutes .
He ascended those old walls ,
And thense surveyed [the site of ] Chu .
He surveyed Chu and Tang ,
With the high hills and lofty elevations about :
He descended and examined the mulberry trees ;
He then divined , and got a fortunate response ;
And thus the issue has been truly good .
When the good rain had fallen ,
He would order his groom ,
By starlight , in the morning , to yoke his carriage ,
And would then stop among the mulberry trees and fields .
But not only thus did he show what he was ; --
Maintaining in his heart a profound devotion to his duties ,
His tall horses and mares amounted to three thousand .
51.DI DONG
There is a rainbow in the east ,
And no one dares to point to it .
When a girl goes away [from her home] ,
She separates from her parents and brothers .
In the morning [a rainbow] rises in the west ,
And [only] during the morning is there rain .
When a girl goes away [from her home] ,
She separates from her brothers and parents .
This person
Has her heart only on being married .
Greatly is she untrue to herself ,
And does not recognize [the law of] her lot .
52.XIANG SHU
Look at a rat , -- it has its skin ;
But a man should be without dignity of demeanour .
If a man have no dignity of demeanour ,
What should he but die ?
Look at a rat , -- it has its teeth ;
But a man shall be without any right deportment .
If a man have not right deportment ,
What should he wait for but death ?
Look at a rat , -- it has its limbs ;
But a man shall be without any rules of propriety .
If a man observe no rules of propriety ,
Why does he not quickly die ?
53. GAN MAO
Conspiciously rise the staffs with their ox-tails ,
In the distant suburbs of Jun ,
Ornamented with the white silk bands ;
There are four carriages with their good horses ,
That admirable gentleman , --
What will he give them for [this] ?
Conspiciously rise the staffs with their falcon-banners ,
In the nearer suburbs of Jun ,
Ornamented with the white silk ribbons ;
There are four carriages with their good horses ,
That admirable gentleman , --
What will he give them for [this] ?
Conspiciously rise the staffs with their feathered streamers ,
At the walls of Jun ,
Bound with the white silk cords ;
There are six carriages with their good horses ,
That admirable gentleman , --
What will he give them for [this] ?
54.ZAI CHI
I would have galloped my horses and whipt them ,
Returning to condole with the marquis of Wei .
I would have urged them all the long way ,
Till I arrived at Cao .
A great officer has gone , over the hills and through the rivers ;
But my heart is full of sorrow .
You disapproved of my [proposal] ,
And I cannot return to [Wei] ;
But I regard you as in the wrong ,
And cannot forget my purpose .
You disapproved of my purpose ,
But I cannot return across the streams ;
But I regard you as in the wrong ,
And cannot shut out my thoughts .
I will ascend that mound with the steep side ,
And gather the mother-of-pearl lilies .
I might, as a woman , have many thoughts ,
But every one of them was practicable .
The people of Xu blame me ,
But they are all childish and hasty [in their conclusions] .
I would have gone through the country ,
Amidst the wheat so luxuriant .
I would have carried the case before the great State .
On whom should I have relied ? Who would come [to the help of Wei] ?
Ye great officers and gentlemen ,
The hundred plans you think of
Are not equal to the course I was going to take .
The Odes of Wei
55.QI AO
Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi ,
With their green bamboos , so fresh and luxuriant !
There is our elegant and accomplished prince , --
As from the knife and the file ,
As from the chisel and the polisher !
How grave is he and dignified !
How commanding and distinguished !
Our elegant and accomplished prince , --
Never can he be forgotten !
Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi ,
With their green bamboos , so strong and luxuriant !
There is our elegant and accomplished prince , --
With his ear-stoppers of beautiful pebbles ,
And his cap , glittering as with stars between the seams !
How grave is he and dignified !
How commanding and distinguished !
Our elegant and accomplished prince , --
Never can he be forgotten !
Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi ,
With their green bamboos , so dense together !
There is our elegant and accomplished prince , --
[Pure] as gold and as tin ,
[Soft and rich] as a sceptre of jade !
How magnanimous is he and gentle !
There he is in his chariot with its two high sides !
Skilful is he at quips and jokes ,
But how does he keep from rudeness from them !
56.KAO PAN
He has reared his hut by the stream in the valley ,
-- That large man , so much at his ease .
Alone he sleeps , and wakes , and talks .
He swears he will never forgets [his true joy] .
He has reared his hut in the bend of the mound ,
-- That large man , with such an air of indifference .
Alone he sleeps , and wakes , and sings .
He swears he will never pass from the spot .
He has reared his hut on the level height ,
-- That large man , so self-collected .
Alone , he sleeps and wakes , and sleeps again .
He swears he will never tell [of his delight] .
57.SHUO REN
Large was she and tall ,
In her embroidered robe , with a [plain] single garment over it : --
The daughter of the marquis of Qi .
The wife of the marquis of Wei ,
The sister of the heir-son of Tong
The sister-in-law of the marquis of Xing ,
The viscount of Tan also her brother-in-law .
Her fingers were like the blades of the young white-grass ;
Her skin was like congealed ointment ;
Her neck was like the tree-grub ;
Her teeth were like melon seeds ;
Her forehead cicada-like ; her eyebrows like [the antenne of] the silkworm moth ;
What dimples , as she artfully smiled !
How lovely her eyes , with the black and white so well defined !
Large was she and tall ,
When she halted in the cultivated suburbs .
Strong looked her four horses ,
With the red ornaments so rich about their bits .
Thus in her carriage , with its screens of pheasant feathers ,
she proceeded to our court .
Early retire , ye great officers ,
And do not make the marquis fatiqued !
The waters of the He , wide and deep ,
Flow northwards in majestic course .
The nets are dropt into them with a plashing sound ,
Among shoals of sturgeon , large and small ,
While the rushes and sedges are rank about .
Splendidly adorned were her sister ladies ;
Martial looked the attendant officers .
58.MANG
A simple-looking lad you were ,
Carrying cloth to exchange it for silk .
[But] you came not so to purchase silk ; --
You came to make proposals to me .
I convoyed you through the Qi ,
As far as Dunqiu .
' It is not I , ' [I said] , ' who would protract the time ;
But you have had no good go-between .
I pray you be not angry ,
And let autumn be the time . '
I ascended that ruinous wall ,
To look towards Fuguan ;
And when I saw [you] not [coming from] it ;
My tears flowed in streams .
When I did see [you coming from] Fuquan ,
I laughed and I spoke .
You had consulted , [you said] , the tortoise-shell and the reeds ,
And there was nothing unfavourable in their response .
' Then come , ' [I said] , ' with your carriage ,
And I will remove with my goods .
Before the mulberry tree has shed its leaves ,
How rich and glossy are they !
Ah ! thou dove ,
Eat not its fruit [to excess] .
Ah ! thou young lady ,
Seek no licentious pleasure with a gentleman .
When a gentleman indulges in such pleasure ,
Something may still be said for him ;
When a lady does so ,
Nothing can be said for her .
When the mulberry tree sheds its leaves ,
They fall yellow on the ground .
Since I went with you ,
Three years have I eaten of your poverty ;
And [now] the full waters of the Qi ,
Wet the curtains of my carriage .
There has been no difference in me ,
But you have been double in your ways .
It is you , Sir , who transgress the right ,
Thus changeable in your conduct .
For three years I was your wife ,
And thought nothing of my toil in your house .
I rose early and went to sleep late ,
Not intermitting my labours for a morning .
Thus [on my part] our contract was fulfilled ,
But you have behaved thus cruelly .
My brothers will not know [all this] ,
And will only laugh at me .
Silently I think of it ,
And bemoan myself .
I was to grow old with you ; --
Old , you give me cause for sad repining .
The Qi has its banks ,
And the marsh has its shores .
In the pleasant time of my girlhood , with my hair simply gathered in a knot ,
Harmoniously we talked and laughed .
Clearly were we sworn to good faith ,
And I did not think the engagement would be broken .
That it would be broken I did not think ,
And now it must be all over !
59.ZHU GAN
With your long and tapering bamboo rods ,
You angle in the Qi .
Do I not think of you ?
But I am far away , and cannot get you .
The Quanyuan is on the left ,
And the waters of the Qi are on the right .
But when a young lady goes away , [and is married] ,
She leaves her brothers and parents .
The waters of the Qi are on the right
And the Quanyuan is on the left .
How shine the white teeth through the artful smiles !
How the girdle gems move to the measured steps !
The waters of the Qi flow smoothly ;
There are the oars of cedar and boats of pine .
Might I but go there in my carriage and ramble ,
To dissipate my sorrow !
60.WAN LAN
There are the branches of the sparrow-gourd ; --
There is that lad , with the spike at his girdle .
Though he carries a spike at his girdle ,
He does not know us .
How easy and conceited is his manner ,
With the ends of his girdle hanging down as they do !
There are the leaves of the sparrow-gourd ; --
There is that lad with the archer's thimble at his girdle .
Though he carries an archer's thimble at his girdle ,
He is not superior to us .
How easy and conceited is his manner ,
With the ends of his girdle hanging down as they do !
61.HE GUANG
Who says that the He is wide ?
With [a bundle of] reeds I can cross it .
Who says that Song is distant ?
On tiptoe I can see it .
Who says that the He is wide ?
It will not admit a little boat .
Who says that Song is distant ?
It would not take a whole morning to reach it .
62.BO XI
My noble husband is now martial-like !
The hero of the country !
My husband , grasping his halberd ,
Is in the leading chariot of the king's [host] .
Since my husband went to the east ,
My head has been like the flying [pappus of the] artemisia .
It is not that I could not anoint and wash it ;
But for whom should I adorn myself ?
O for rain ! O for rain !
But brightly the sun comes forth .
Longingly I think of my husband ,
Till my heart is weary , and my head aches .
How shall I get the plant of forgetfulness ?
I would plant it on the north of my house .
Longingly I think of my husband ,
And my heart is made to ache .
63.YOU HU
There is a fox , solitary and suspicious ,
At that dam over the Qi .
My heart is sad ; --
That man has no lower garment .
There is a fox , solitary and suspicious ,
At that deep ford of the Qi .
My heart is sad ; --
That man has no girdle .
There is a fox , solitary and suspicious ,
By the side there of the Qi .
My heart is sad ; --
That man has no clothes .
64.MU GUA
There was presented to me a papaya ,
And I returned for it a beautiful Ju-gem ;
Not as a return for it ,
But that our friendship might be lasting .
There was presented to me a peach ,
And I returned for it a beautiful Yao-gem ;
Not as a return for it ,
But that our friendship might be lasting .
There was presented to me a plum ,
And I returned for it a beautiful Jiu-gem ;
Not as a return for it ,
But that our friendship might be lasting .
The Odes of Wang
65.SHU LI
There was the millet with its drooping heads ;
There was the sacrificial millet into blade .
Slowly I moved about ,
In my heart all-agitated .
Those who knew me ,
Said I was sad at heart .
Those who did not know me ,
Said I was seeking for something .
O distant and azure Heaven !
By what man was this [brought about] ?
There was the millet with its drooping heads ;
There was the sacrificial millet in the ear .
Slowly I moved about ,
My heart intoxicated , as it were , [with grief] .
Those who knew me ,
Said I was sad at heart .
Those who did not know me ,
Said I was seeking for something .
O thou distant and azure Heaven !
By what man was this [brought about] ?
There was the millet with its drooping heads ;
There was the sacrificial millet in grain .
Slowly I moved about ,
As if there were a stoppage at my heart .
Those who knew me ,
Said I was sad at heart .
Those who did not know me ,
Said I was seeking for something .
O thou distant and azure Heaven !
By what man was this [brought about] ?
66.JUN ZI YU YI
My husband is away on service ,
And I know not when he will return .
Where is he now ?
The fowls roost in their holes in the walls ;
And in the evening of the day ,
The goats and cows come down [from the hill] ;
But my husband is away on service .
How can I but keep thinking of him ?
My husband is away on service ,
Not for days [merely] or for months .
When will he come back to me ?
The fowls roost on their perches ;
And in the evening of the day ,
The goats and cows come down down and home ;
But my husband is away on service .
Oh if he be but kept from hunger and thirst !
67.JUN ZI YANG YANG
My husband looks full of satisfaction .
In his left hand he holds his reed-organ ,
And with his right he calls me to the room .
Oh the joy !
My husband looks delighted .
In his left hand he holds his screen of feathers ,
And with his right he calls me to the stage .
Oh the joy !
68.YANG ZHI SHUI
The fretted waters ,
Do not carry on their current a bundle of firewood !
Those , the members of our families ,
Are not with us here guarding Shen .
How we think of them ! How we think of them !
What month shall we return home ?
The fretted waters ,
Do not carry on their current a bundle of thorns !
Those , the members of our families ,
Are not with us here guarding Pu .
How we think of them ! How we think of them !
What month shall we return ?
The fretted waters ,
Do not carry on their current a bundle of osiers !
Those , the members of our families ,
Are not with us here guarding Xu .
How we think of them ! How we think of them !
What month shall we return ?
69.ZHONG GU
In the valleys grows the mother-wort ,
But scorched is it in the drier places .
There is a woman forced to leave her husband ;
Sadly she sighs !
Sadly she sighs !
She suffers from his hard lot .
In the valleys grows the mother-wort ,
But scorched is it where it had become long .
There is a woman forced to leave her husband ;
Long-drawn are her groanings !
Long-drawn are her groanings !
She suffers from his misfortune .
In the valleys grows the mother-wort ,
But scorched is it even in the moist places .
There is a woman forced to leave her husband ;
Ever flow her tears !
Ever flow her tears !
But of what avail is her lament ?
70.TU YUAN
The hare is slow and cautious ;
The pheasant plumps into the net .
In the early part of my life ,
Time still passed without commotion .
In the subsequent part of it ,
We are meeting with all these evils .
I wish I might sleep and never move more .
The hare is slow and cautious ;
The pheasant plumps into the snare .
In the early part of my life ,
Time still passed without anything stirring .
In the subsequent part of it ,
We are meeting with all these sorrows .
I wish I might sleep and never move more .
The hare is slow and cautious ;
The pheasant plumps into the trap .
In the early part of my life ,
Time still passed without any call for our services .
In the subsequent part of it ,
We are meeting with all these miseries .
I would that I might sleep , and hear of nothing more .
71.GE LEI
Thickly they spread about , the dolichos creepers ,
On the borders of the He .
For ever separated from my brothers ,
I call a stranger father .
I call a stranger father ,
But he will not look at me .
Thickly they spread about , the dolichos creepers ,
On the banks of the He .
For ever separated from my brothers ,
I call a stranger mother .
I call a stranger mother ,
But she will not recognize me .
Thickly they spread about , the dolichos creepers ,
On the lips of the He .
For ever separated from my brothers ,
I call a stranger elder-brother .
I call a stranger elder-brother ,
But he will not listen to me .
72.CAI GE
There he is gathering the dolichos !
A day without seeing him ,
Is like three months !
There he is gathering the oxtail-southern-wood !
A day without seeing him ,
Is like three seasons !
There he is gathering the mugwort !
A day without seeing him ,
Is like three years !
73.DA CHE
His great carriage rumbles along ,
And his robes of rank glitter like the young sedge .
Do I not think of you ?
But I am afraid of this officer , and dare not .
His great carriage moves heavily and slowly ,
And his robes of rank glitter like a carnation-gem .
Do I not think of you ?
But I am afraid of this officer , and do not rush to you.
While living , we may have to occupy different apartments ;
But when dead , we shall share the same grave .
If you say that I am not sincere ,
By the bright sun I swear that I am .
74. QIU ZHONG YOU MA
On the mound where is the hemp ,
Some one is detaining Zijie .
Some one is there detaining Zijie ; --
Would that he would come jauntily [to me] !
On the mound where is the wheat ,
Some one is detaining Ziguo .
Some one is there detaining Ziguo ; --
Would that he would come and eat with me !
On the mound where are the plum trees ,
Some one is detaining those youths .
Some one is there detaining those youths ; --
They will give me Jiu-stones for my girdle .
The Odes of Zheng
75.ZI YI
How well do the black robes befit you !
When worn out , we will make others for you .
We will go to your court ,
And when we return [from it] , we will send you a feast !
How good on you are the black robes !
When worn out , we will make others for you .
We will go to your court ,
And when we return [from it] , we will send you a feast !
How easy sit the black robes on you !
When worn out , we will make others for you .
We will go to your court ,
And when we return [from it] , we will send you a feast !
76.JIANG ZHONG ZI
I pray you , Mr. Zhong ,
Do not come leaping into my hamlet ;
Do not break my willow trees .
Do I care for them ?
But I fear my parents .
You , O Zhong , are to be loved ,
But the words of my parents ,
Are also to be feared .
I pray you , Mr. Zhong ,
Do not come leaping over my wall ;
Do not break my mulberry trees .
Do I care for them ?
But I fear the words of my brothers .
You , O Zhong , are to be loved ,
But the words of my brothers ,
Are also to be feared .
I pray you , Mr. Zhong ,
Do not come leaping into my garden ;
Do not break my sandal trees .
Do I care for them ?
But I dread the talk of people .
You , O Zhong , are to be loved ,
But the talk of people ,
Is also to be feared .
77.SHU YU TIAN
Shu has gone hunting ;
And in the streets there are no inhabitants .
Are there indeed no inhabitants ?
[But] they are not like Shu ,
Who is truly admirable and kind .
Shu has gone to the grand chase ;
And in the streets there are none feasting .
Are there indeed none feasting ?
[But] they are not like Shu ,
Who is truly admirable and good .
Shu has gone into the country ;
And in the streets there are none driving about .
Are there indeed none driving about ?
[But] they are not like Shu ,
Who is truly admirable and martial .
78.DA SHU YU TIAN
Shu has gone hunting ,
Mounted in his chariot and four .
The reins are in his grasp like ribbons ,
While the two outside horses move [with regular steps] , as dancers do .
Shu is at the marshy ground ; --
The fire flames out all at once ,
And with bared arms he seizes a tiger ,
And presents it before the duke .
O Shu , try not [such sport] again ;
Beware of getting hurt .
Shu has gone hunting ,
Mounted in his chariot with four bay horses .
The two insides are two finest possible animals ,
And the two outsides follow them regularly as in a flying flock of wild geese .
Shu is at the marshy ground ; --
The fire blazes up all at once ,
A skillful archer is Shu !
A good charioteer also !
Now he gives his horse the reins ; now he brings them up ;
Now he discharges his arrows ; now he follows it .
Shu has gone hunting ,
Mounted in his chariot with four grey horses .
His two insides have their heads in a line ,
And the two outsides come after like arms .
Shu is at the marsh ; --
The fire spreads grandly all together .
His horses move slowly ;
He shoots but seldom ;
Now he lays aside his quiver ;
Now he returns his bows to his case .
79.QING REN
The men of Qing are in Peng ;
The chariot with its team in mail ever moves about ;
The two spears in it , with their ornaments , rising , one above the other .
So do they roam about the He .
The men of Qing are in Xiao ;
The chariot with its team in mail looks martial ;
And the two spears in it , with their hooks , rise one above the other .
So do they saunter about by the He .
The men of Qing are in Zhou ;
The mailed team of the chariot prance proudly .
[The driver] on the left wheels it about , and [the spearman] on the right brandishes his weapon ,
While the general in the middle looks pleased .
80.GAO QIU
His lambs's fur is glossy ,
Truly smooth and beautiful .
That officer ,
Rests in his lot and will not change .
His lambs's fur , with its cuffs of leopard-skin .
Looks grandly martial and strong .
That officer ,
In the country will ever hold to the right .
How splendid is his lamb's fur !
How bright are its three ornaments !
That officer ,
Is the ornament of the country .
81.ZUN DA LU
Along the highway ,
I hold you by the cuff .
Do not hate me ; --
Old intercourse should not be suddenly broken off .
Along the highway ,
I hold you by the hand .
Do not think me vile ; --
Old friendship should not hastily be broken off .
82.NU YUE JI MING
Says the wife , ' It is cock-crow ; '
Says the husband , ' It is grey dawn . '
' Rise , Sir , and look at the night , -- '
If the morning star be not shining .
Bestir yourself , and move about ,
To shoot the wild ducks and geese .
When your arrows and line have found them ,
I will dress them fitly for you .
When they are dressed , we will drink [together over them] ,
And I will hope to grow old with you .
Your lute in your hands ,
Will emits its quiet pleasant tones .
When I know those whose acquaintance you wish ,
I will give them off the ornaments of my girdle .
When I know those with whom you are cordial ,
I will send to them of the ornaments of my girdle .
When I know those whom you love ,
I will repay their friendship from the ornaments of my girdle .
83.YOU NU TONG CHE
There is the lady in the carriage [with him] ,
With the countenance like the flower of the ephermeral hedge-tree .
As they move about ,
The beautiful Ju-gems of her girdle-pendant appear .
That beautiful eldest Jiang ,
Is truly admirable and elegant .
There is the young lady walking [with him] ,
With a countenance like the ephermeral blossoms of the hedge-tree .
As they move about ,
The gems of her girdle-pendant tinkle .
of that beautiful eldest Jiang ,
The virtuous fame is not to be forgotten .
84. SHAN YOU FU SU
On the mountain is the mulberry tree ;
In the marshes is the lotus flower .
I do not see Zidu ,
But I see this mad fellow .
On the mountain is the lofty pine ;
In the marshes is the psreading water-polygonum . .
I do not see Zichong ,
But I see this artful boy .
85.TUO XI
Ye withered leaves ! Ye withered leaves !
How the wind is blowing you away !
O ye uncles ,
Give us the first note , and we will join in with you .
Ye withered leaves ! Ye withered leaves !
How the wind is carrying you away !
O ye uncles ,
Give us the first note , and we will complete [the song] .
86. JIAO TONG
That artful boy !
He will not speak with me !
But for the sake of you , Sir ,
Shall I make myself unable to eat ?
That artful boy !
He will not eat with me !
But for the sake of you , Sir ,
Shall I make myself unable to rest ?
87.QIAN CHANG
If you , Sir , think kindly of me ,
I will hold up my lower garments , and cross the Zhen .
If you do not think of me ,
Is there no other person [to do so] ?
You , foolish , foolish fellow !
If you , Sir , think kindly of me ,
I will hold up my lower garments , and cross the Wei .
If you do not think of me ,
Is there no other gentleman [to do so] ?
You , foolish , foolish fellow !
88.FENG
Full and good looking was the gentleman ,
Who waited for me in the lane !
I repent that I did not go with him .
A splendid gentleman was he ,
Who waited for me in the hall !
I regret that I did not accompany him .
Over my embroidered upper robe , I have put on a [plain] single garment ;
Over my embroidered lower robe , I have done the same .
O Sir , O Sir ,
Have your carriage ready to take me home with you .
Over my embroidered lower robe , I have put on a [plain] single garment ;
Over my embroidered upper robe , I have done the same .
O Sir , O Sir ,
Have your carriage ready to take me home with you .
89. DONG MEN ZHI SHAN
Near the level ground at the east gate ,
Is the madder plant on the bank .
The house is near there ,
But the man is very far away .
By the chestnut trees at the east gate ,
Is a row of houses .
Do I not think of you ?
But you do not come to me .
90.FENG YU
Cold are the wind and the rain ,
And shrilly crows the cock .
But I have seen my husband ,
And should I but feel at rest ?
The wind whistles and the rain patters ,
While loudly crows the cock .
But I have seen my husband ,
And could my ailment but be cured ?
Through the wind and rain all looks dark ,
And the cock crows without ceasing .
But I have seen my husband ,
And how should I not rejoice ?
91.ZI JIN
O you , with the blue collar ,
Prolonged is the anxiety of my heart .
Although I do not go [to you] ,
Why do you not continue your messages [to me] ?
O you with the blue [strings to your] girdle-gems ,
Long , long do I think of you .
Although I do not go [to you] ,
Why do you not come [to me] ?
How volatile are you and dissipated ,
By the look-out tower on the wall !
One day without the sight of you ,
Is like three months .
92.YANG ZHI SHUI
The fretted waters ,
Do not carry on their current a bundle of thorns .
Few are our brethren ;
There are only I and you .
Do not believe what people say ;
They are deceiving you .
The fretted waters ,
Do not carry on their current a bundle of firewood .
Few are our brethren ;
There are only we two .
Do not believe what people say ;
They are not to be trusted .
93.CHU QI DONG MEN
I went out at the east gate ,
Where the girls were in clouds .
Although they are like clouds ,
It is not on them that my thoughts rest .
She in the thin white silk , and the grey coiffure , --
She is my joy !
I went out by the tower on the covering wall ,
Where the girls were like flowering rushes .
Although they are like flowering rushes ,
It is not of them that I think .
She in the thin white silk , and the madder-[dyed coiffure] , --
It is she that makes me happy !
94.YE YOU MAN CAO
On the moor is the creeping grass ,
And how heavily is it loaded with dew !
There was a beautiful man ,
Lovely , with clear eyes and fine forehead !
We met together accidentally ,
And so my desire was satisfied .
On the moor is the creeping grass ,
Heavily covered with dew !
There was a beautiful man ,
Lovely , with clear eyes and fine forehead !
We met together accidentally ,
And he and I were happy together .
95.QIN WEI
The Qin and Wei ,
Now present their broad sheets of water .
Ladies and gentlemen ,
Are carrying flowers of valerian .
A lady says , ' Have you been to see ? '
A gentleman replies , ' I have been . '
' But let us go again to see.
Beyond the Wei ,
The ground is large and fit for pleasure . '
So the gentlemen and ladies .
Make sport together ,
Presenting one another with small peonies .
The Qin and Wei ,
Show their deep , clear streams .
Gentlemen and ladies ,
Appear in crowds .
A lady says , ' Have you been to see ? '
A gentleman replies , ' I have been . '
' But let us go again to see.
Beyond the Wei ,
The ground is large and fit for pleasure . '
So the gentlemen and ladies .
Make sport together ,
Presenting one another with small peonies .
The Odes of Qi
96.JI MING
' The cock has crowed ;
The court is full . '
But it was not the cock that was crowing ; --
It was the sound of the blue flies .
' The east is bright ;
The court is crowded . '
But it was not the east that was bright ; --
It was the light of the moon coming forth .
' The insects are flying in buzzing crowds ;
It would be sweet to lie by you and dream . '
But the assembled officers will be going home ; --
Let them not hate both me and you . '
97.XUAN
How agile you are !
You met me in the neighbourhood of Nao ,
And we pursued together tow boars of three years .
You bowed to me , and said that I was active .
How admirable your skill !
You met me in the way to Nao ,
And we drove together after two males .
You bowed to me , and said that I was skilful .
How complete your art !
You met me on the south of Nao ,
And we pursued together two wolves .
You bowed to me , and said that I was dexterous .
98.ZHU
He was waiting for me between the door and the screen .
The strings of his ear-stoppers were of white silk ,
And there were appended to them beautiful Hua-stones .
He was waiting for me in the open court .
The strings of his ear-stoppers were of green silk ,
And there were appended to them beautiful Ying-stones .
He was waiting for me in the hall .
The strings of his ear-stoppers were of yellow silk ,
And there were appended to them beautiful Ying-stones .
99.DONG FANG ZHI RI
The sun is in the east ,
And that lovely girl ,
Is in my chamber .
She is in my chamber ;
She treads in my footsteps , and comes to me .
The moon is in the east ,
And that lovely girl ,
Is inside my door .
She is inside my door ;
She treads in my footsteps , and hastens away .
100.DONG FANG WEI MING
Before the east was bright ,
I was putting on my clothes upside down ;
I was putting them on upside down ,
And there was one from the court calling me .
Before there was a streak of dawn in the east ,
I was putting on my clothes upside down ;
I was putting them on upside down ,
And there was one from the court with orders for me .
You fence your garden with branches of willow ,
And the reckless fellows stand in awe .
He , [however] , cannot fix the time of night ;
If he be not too early , he is sure to be late .
101.NAN SHAN
High and large is the south hill ,
And a male fox is on it , solitary and suspicious .
The way to Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi went by it to her husband's .
Since she went to her husband's ,
Why do you further think of her ?
The five kinds of dolichos shoes are [made] in pairs ,
And the string-ends of a cap are made to match ;
The way to Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi travelled it .
Since she travelled it ,
Why do you still follow her ?
How do we proceed in planting hemp ?
The acres must be dressed lengthwise and crosswise .
How do we proceed in taking a wife ?
Announcement must first be made to our parents .
Since such announcement was made ,
Why do you still indulge her desires ?
How do we proceed in splitting firewood ?
Without an axe it cannot be done .
How do we proceed in taking a wife ?
Without a go-between it cannot be done .
Since this was done ,
Why do you still allow her to go to this extreme ?
102.FU TIAN
Do not try to cultivate fields too large ; --
The weeds will only grow luxuriantly .
Do not think of winning people far away ; --
Your toiling heart will be grieved .
Do not try to cultivate fields too large ; --
The weeds will only grow proudly .
Do not think of winning people far away ; --
Your toiling heart will be distressed .
How young and tender ,
Is the child with his two tufts of hair !
When you see him after not a long time ,
Lo ! he is wearing the cap !
103.LU LING
Ling-ling go the hounds ; --
Their master is admirable and kind .
There go the hounds with their double rings ; --
Their master is admirable and good .
There go the hounds with their triple rings ; --
Their master is admirable and able .
104.BI GOU
Worn out is the basket at the dam ,
And the fishes are the bream and the Guan ,
The daughter of Qi has returned ,
With a cloud of attendants .
Worn out is the basket at the dam ,
And the fishes are the bream and the tench ,
The daughter of Qi has returned ,
With a shower of attendants .
Worn out is the basket at the dam ,
And the fishes go in and out freely ,
The daughter of Qi has returned ,
With a stream of attendants .
105.ZAI QU
She urges on her chariot rapidly ,
With its screen of bamboos woven in squares , and its vermilion coloured leather .
The way from Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi's started on it in the evening .
Her four black horses are beautiful ,
And soft look their reins as they hang .
The way from Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi's is delighted and complacent .
The waters of the Wen flow broadly on ;
The travellers are numerous .
The way from Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi's moves on with unconcern .
The waters of the Wen sweep on ;
The travellers are in crowds .
The way from Lu is easy and plain ,
And the daughter of Qi's proceeds at her ease .
106.YI JIE
Alas for him , so handsome and accomplished !
How grandly tall !
With what elegance in his high forehead !
With what motion of his beautiful eyes !
With what skill in the swift movements of his feet !
With what mastery of archery !
Alas for him , so famous !
His beautiful eyes how clear !
His manners how complete !
Shooting all day at the target ,
And never lodging outside the bird-square !
Indeed our [ruler's] nephew !
Alas for him , so beautiful !
His bright eyes and high forehead how lovely !
His dancing so choice !
Sure to send his arrows right through !
The four all going to the same place !
One able to withstand rebellion !
The Odes of Wei
107.GE JU
Shoes thinly woven of the dolichos fibre ,
May be used to walk on the hoarfrost .
The delicate fingers of a bride ,
May be used in making clothes .
[His bride] puts the waistband to his lower garment and the collar to his upper ,
And he , a wealthy man , wears them .
Wealthy , he moves about quite at ease ,
And politely he stands aside to the left .
From his girdle hangs his ivory comb-pin .
It is the narrowness of his disposition ,
Which makes him a subject for satire .
108.FEN JU RU
There in the oozy grounds of the Fen ,
They gather the sorrel .
That officer ,
Is elegant beyond measure .
He is elegant beyond measure .
But , perhaps , he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's carriages ought to be .
There along the side of the Fen ,
They gather the mulberry leaves .
That officer ,
Is elegant as a flower .
He is elegant as a flower ;
But , perhaps , he is not what the marshaller of the carriages ought to be .
There along the bend of the Fen ,
They gather the ox-lips .
That officer ,
Is elegant as a gem .
He is elegant as a gem ;
But , perhaps , he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's relations should be .
109.YUAN YOU TAO
of the peach trees in the garden ,
The fruit may be used as food .
My heart is grieved ,
And I play and sing .
Those who do not know me ,
Say I am a scholar venting his pride .
' Those men are right ;
What do you mean by your words ? '
My heart is grieved ;
Who knows [the cause of] it ?
Who knows [the cause of] it ?
[They know it not] , because they will not think .
of the jujube trees in the garden ,
The fruit may be used as food .
My heart is grieved ,
And I think I must travel about through the State .
Those who do not know me ,
Say I am an officer going to the verge of license .
' Those men are right ;
What do you mean by your words ? '
My heart is grieved ;
Who knows [the cause of] it ?
Who knows [the cause of] it ?
[They do not know it] , because they will not think .
110.ZHI HU
I ascend that tree-clad hill ,
And look towards [the residence of] my father .
My father is saying , ' Alas ! my son , abroad on the public service ,
Morning and night never rests .
May he be careful ,
That he may come [back] , and not remain there ! '
I ascend that bare hill ,
And look towards [the residence of] my mother .
My mother is saying , ' Alas ! my child , abroad on the public service ,
Morning and night has no sleep .
May he be careful ,
That he may come [back] , and not leave his body there ! '
I ascend that ridge ,
And look towards [the residence of] my elder brother .
My brother is saying , ' Alas ! my younger brother , abroad on the public service ,
Morning and night must consort with his comrades .
May he be careful ,
That he may come back , and not die ! '
111. SHI MU ZHI JIAN
Among their ten acres ,
The mulberry-planters stand idly about .
' Come , ' [says one to another] , ' I will go away with you . '
Beyond those ten acres ,
The mulberry-planters move idly about .
' Come , ' [says one to another] , ' I will go away with you . '
112.FA TAN
Kan-kan go his blows on the sandal trees ,
And he places what he hews on the river's bank ,
Whose waters flow clear and rippling .
You sow not nor reap ; --
How do you get the produce of those three hundred farms ?
You do not follow the chase ; --
How do we see the badgers hanging up in your court yards ?
O that superior man !
He would not eat the bread of idleness !
Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his spokes ,
And he places it by the side of the river ,
Whose waters flow clear and even .
You sow not nor reap ; --
How do you get your three millions of sheaves ?
You do not follow the chase ; --
How do we see the three-year-olds hanging up in your court yards ?
O that superior man !
He would not eat the bread of idleness !
Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his wheels ,
And he places it by the lip of the river ,
Whose waters flow clear in rippling circles .
You sow not nor reap ; --
How do you get the paddy for your three hundred round binns ?
You do not follow the chase ; --
How do we see the quails hanging in your court yards ?
O that superior man !
He would not eat the bread of idleness !
113.SHUO SHU
Large rats ! Large rats !
Do not eat our millet .
Three years have we had to do with you ,
And you have not been willing to show any regard for us .
We will leave you ,
And go to that happy land .
Happy land ! Happy land !
There shall we find our place .
Large rats ! Large rats !
Do not eat our wheat .
Three years have we had to do with you ,
And you have not been willing to show any kindness to us .
We will leave you ,
And go to that happy State .
Happy State ! Happy State !
There shall we find ourselves right .
Large rats ! Large rats !
Do not eat our springing grain !
Three years have we had to do with you ,
And you have not been willing to think of our toil .
We will leave you ,
And go to those happy borders .
Happy borders ! Happy borders !
Who will there make us always to groan ?
The Odes of Tang
114.XI SHUAI
The cricket is in the hall ,
And the year is drawing to a close .
If we do not enjoy ourselves now ,
The days and months will be leaving us .
But let us not go to great excess ;
Let us first think of the duties of our position ;
Let us not be wild in our love of enjoyment .
The good man is anxiously thoughtful .
The cricket is in the hall ,
And the year is passing away .
If we do not enjoy ourselves now ,
The days and months will have gone .
But let us not go to great excess ;
Let us first send our thoughts beyond the present ;
Let us not be wild in our love of enjoyment .
The good man is ever diligent .
The cricket is in the hall ,
And our carts stand unemployed .
If we do not enjoy ourselves now ,
The days and months will have gone by.
But let us not go to an excess ;
Let us first think of the griefs that may arise ;
Let us not be wild in our love of enjoyment .
The good man is quiet and serene .
115.SHAN YOU SHU
On the mountains are the thorny elms ,
In the low , wet grounds are the white elms .
You have suits of robes ,
But you will not wear them ;
You have carriages and horses ,
But you will not drive them .
You will drop off in death ,
And another person will enjoy them .
On the mountains is the Kao ,
In the low wet grounds is the Niu .
You have courtyards and inner rooms ,
But you will not have them sprinkled or swept ;
You have drums and bells ,
But you will not have them beat or struck ,
You will drop off in death ,
And another person will possess them .
On the mountains are the varnish trees ,
In the low wet grounds are the chestnuts .
You have spirits and viands ; --
Why not daily play your lute ?
Both to give a zest to your joy ,
And to prolong the day ?
You will drop off in death ,
And another person will enter your chamber .
116.YANG ZHI SHUI
Amidst the fretted waters ,
The white rocks stand up grandly .
Bringing a robe of white silk , with a vermillion collar ,
We will follow you to Wo .
When we have seen the princely lord ,
Shall we not rejoice ?
Amidst the fretted waters ,
The white rocks stand glistening .
Bringing a robe of white silk , with a vermillion collar , and embroidered ,
We will follow you to Hu .
When we have seen the princely lord ,
What sorrow will remain to us ?
Amidst the fretted waters ,
The white rocks clearly show .
We have heard your orders ,
And will not dare to inform any one of them .
117.JIAO LIAO
The clusters of the pepper plant ,
Large and luxuriant , would fill a pint .
That hero there
Is large and peerless .
O the pepper plant !
How its shoots extend !
The clusters of the pepper plant ,
Large and luxuriant , would fill both your hands .
That hero there
Is large and generous .
O the pepper plant !
How its shoots extend !
118.CHOU MOU
Round and round the firewood is bound ;
And the Three Stars appear in the sky .
This evening is what evening ,
That I see this good man ?
O me ! O me !
That I should get a good man like this !
Round and round the grass is bound ;
And the Three Stars are seen from the corner .
This evening is what evening ,
That we have this unexpected meeting ?
Happy pair ! Happy pair !
That we should have this unexpected meeting !
Round and round the thorns are bound ;
And the Three Stars are seen from the door .
This evening is what evening ,
That I see this beauty ?
O me ! O me !
That I should see a beauty like this !
119.DI DU
There is a solitary russet pear tree ,
[But] its leaves are luxuriant .
Alone I walk unbefriended ; --
Is it because there are no other people ?
But none are like the sons of one's father .
O ye travellers ,
Why do ye not sympathize with me ?
Without brothers as I am ,
Why do ye not help me ?
There is a solitary russet pear tree ,
[But] its leaves are abundant .
Alone I walk uncared for ; --
Is it that there are not other people ?
But none are like those of one's own surname .
O ye travellers ,
Why do ye not sympathize with me ?
Without brothers as I am ,
Why do ye not help me ?
120.GAO QIU
Lamb's fur and leopard's cuffs ,
You use us with unkindness .
Might we not find another chief ?
But [we stay] because of your forefathers .
Lamb's fur and leopard's cuffs ,
You use us with cruel unkindness .
Might we not find another chief ?
But [we stay] from our regard to you .
121.BAO YU
Su-su go the feathers of the wild geese ,
As they settle on the bushy oaks .
The king's affairs must not be slackly discharged ,
And [so] we cannot plant our sacrificial millet and millet ; --
What will our parents have to rely on ?
O thou distant and azure Heaven !
When shall we be in our places again ?
Su-su go the wings of the wild geese ,
As they settle on the bushy jujube trees .
The king's affairs must not be slackly discharged ,
And [so] we cannot plant our millet and sacrificial millet ; --
How shall our parents be supplied with food ?
O thou distant and azure Heaven !
When shall [our service] have an end ?
Su-su go the rows of the wild geese ,
As they rest on the bushy mulberry trees .
The king's business must not be slackly discharged ,
And [so] we cannot plant our rice and maize ; --
How shalll our parents get food ?
O thou distant and azure Heaven !
When shall we get [back] to our ordinary lot ?
122.WU YI
How can it be said that he is without robes ?
He has those of the seven orders ;
But it is better that he get those robes from you .
That will secure tranquillity and good fortune .
How can it be said that he is without robes ?
He has those of the six orders ;
But it is better that he get those robes from you .
That will secure tranquillity and permanence .
123.YOU DI ZHI DU
There is a solitary russet pear tree ,
Growing on the left of the way .
That princely man there !
He might be willing to come to me .
In the centre of my heart I love him ,
[But] how shall I supply him with drink and food ?
There is a solitary russet pear tree ,
Growing where the way makes a compass .
That princely man there !
He might be willing to come and ramble [with me] .
In the centre of my heart I love him ,
[But] how shall I supply him with drink and food ?
124.GE SHENG
The dolichos grows , covering the thorn trees ;
The convolvulus spreads all over the waste .
The man of my admiration is no more here ;
With whom can I dwell ? -- I abide alone .
The dolichos grows , covering the jujube trees ;
The convolvulus spreads all over the tombs .
The man of my admiration is no more here ;
With whom can I dwell ? -- I rest alone .
How beautiful was the pillow of horn !
How splendid was the embroidered coverlet !
The man of my admiration is no more here ; --
With whom can I dwell ? -- Alone [I wait for] the morning .
Through the [long] days of summer ,
Through the [long] nights of winter [shall I be alone] ,
Till the lapse of a hundred years ,
When I shall go home to his abode .
Through the [long] nights of winter ,
Through the [long] days of summer [shall I be alone] ,
Till the lapse of a hundred years ,
When I shall go home to his chamber .
125.CAI LING
Would you gather the liquorice , would you gather the liquorice ,
On the top of Shouyang ?
When men tell their stories ,
Do not readily believe them ;
Put them aside , put them aside .
Do not readily assent to them ;
And , when men tell their stories ,
How will they find course ?
Would you gather the sowthistle , would you gather the sowthistle ,
At the foot of Shouyang ?
When men tell their stories ,
Do not readily approve them ;
Put them aside , put them aside .
Do not readily assent to them ;
And , when men tell their stories ,
How will they find course ?
Would you gather the mustard plant , would you gather the mustard plant ,
On the east of Shouyang ?
When men tell their stories ,
Do not readily listen to them ; --
Put them aside , put them aside .
Do not readily assent to them ;
And , when men tell their stories ,
How will they find course ?
The Odes of Qin
126.CHE LIN
He has many carriages , giving forth their Lin-Lin ;
He has horses with their white foreheads .
Before we can see our prince ,
We must get the services of eunuch .
On the hill-sides are varnish trees ;
In the low wet grounds are chestnuts .
When we have seen our prince ,
We sit together with him , and they play on their lutes .
If now we do not take our joy ,
The time will pass till we are octogenarians .
On the hill-sides are mulberry trees ;
In the low wet grounds are willows .
When we have seen our prince ,
We sit together with him , and they play on their organs .
If now we do not take our joy ,
The time will pass till we are no more .
127.SI TIE
His four iron-black horses are in very fine condition ;
The six reins are in the hand [of the charioteer] .
The ruler's favourites ,
Follow him to the chase .
The male animals of the season are made to present themselves ,
The males in season , of very large size .
The ruler says , ' To the left of them ; '
Then he lets go his arrows and hits .
He rambles in the northern park ;
His four horses display their training .
Light carriages , with bells at the horses' bits ,
Convey the long and short-mouthed dogs .
128.XIAO RONG
[There is] his short war carriage ; --
With the ridge-like end of its pole , elegantly bound in five places ;
With its slip rings and side straps ,
And the traces attached by gilt rings to the masked transverse ;
With its beautiful mat of tiger's skin , and its long naves ;
With its piebalds , and horses with white left feet .
When I think of my husband [thus] ,
Looking bland and soft as a piece of jade ;
Living there in his blank house ;
It sends confusion into all the corners of my heart .
His four horses are in very fine condition ,
And the six reins are in the hand [of the charioteer] .
Piebald , and bay with black mane , are the insides ;
Yellow with black mouth , and black , are the outsides ;
Side by side are placed the dragon-figured shields ;
Gilt are the buckles for the inner reins .
I think of my husband [thus] ,
Looking so mild in the cities there .
What time can be fixed for his return ?
Oh ! how I think of him !
His mail-covered team moves in great harmony ;
There are the trident spears with their gilt ends ;
And the beautiful feather-figured shield ;
With the tiger-skin bow-case , and the carved metal ornaments on its front .
The two bows are placed in the case ,
Bound with string to their bamboo frames .
I think of my husband ,
When I lie down and rise up .
Tranquil and serene is the good man ,
With his virtuous fame spread far and near .
129.JIAN JIA
The reeds and rushes are deeply green ,
And the white dew is turned into hoarfrost .
The man of whom I think ,
Is somewhere about the water .
I go up the stream in quest of him ,
But the way is difficult and long .
I go down the stream in quest of him ,
And lo ! he is right in the midst of the water .
The reeds and rushes are luxuriant ,
And the white dew is not yet dry .
The man of whom I think ,
Is on the margin of the water .
I go up the stream in quest of him ,
But the way is difficult and steep .
I go down the stream in quest of him ,
And lo ! he is on the islet in the midst of the water .
The reeds and rushes are abundant ,
And the white dew is not yet ceased .
The man of whom I think ,
Is on the bank of the river .
I go up the stream in quest of him ,
But the way is difficult and turns to the right .
I go down the stream in quest of him ,
And lo ! he is on the island in the midst of the water .
130.ZHONG NAN
What are there on Zhongnan ?
There are white firs and plum trees .
Our prince has arrived at it ,
Wearing an embroidered robe over his fox-fur ,
And with his countenance rouged as with vermilion .
May he prove a ruler indeed !
What are there on Zhongnan ?
There are nooks and open glades .
Our prince has arrived at it ,
With the symbol of distinction embroidered on his lower garment ,
And the gems at his girdle emitting their thinking .
May long life and an endless name be his ?
131.HUANG NIAO
They flit about , the yellow birds ,
And rest upon the jujube trees .
Who followed duke Mu [to the grave] ?
Ziche Yansi .
And this Yansi ,
Was a man above a hundred .
When he came to the grave ,
He looked terrified and trembled .
Thou azure Heaven there !
Thou art destroying our good men .
Could he have been redeemed ,
We should have given a hundred lives for him .
They flit about , the yellow birds ,
And rest upon the mulberry trees .
Who followed duke Mu [to the grave] ?
Ziche Zhongheng .
And this Zhongheng ,
Was a match for a hundred .
When he came to the grave ,
He looked terrified and trembled .
Thou azure Heaven there !
Thou art destroying our good men .
Could he have been redeemed ,
We should have given a hundred lives for him .
They flit about , the yellow birds ,
And rest upon the thorn trees .
Who followed duke Mu [to the grave] ?
Ziche Qianhu .
And this Ziche Qianhu ,
Could withstand a hundred men .
When he came to the grave ,
He looked terrified and trembled .
Thou azure Heaven there !
Thou art destroying our good men .
Could he have been redeemed ,
We should have given a hundred lives for him .
132.CHEN FENG
Swift flies the falcon ,
To the thick-wooded forest in the north .
While I do not see my husband ,
My heart cannot forget its grief .
How is it , how is it ,
That he forgets me so very much ?
On the mountain are the bushy oaks ;
In the low wet grounds are six elms .
While I do not see my husband ,
My sad heart has no joy .
How is it , how is it ,
That he forgets me so very much ?
On the mountain are the bushy sparrow-plums ;
In the low wet grounds are the high , wild pear trees .
While I do not see my husband ,
My heart is as if intoxicated with grief .
How is it , how is it ,
That he forgets me so very much ?
133.WU YI
How shall it be said that you have no clothes ?
I will share my long robes with you .
The king is raising his forces ;
I will prepare my lance and spear ,
And will be your comrade .
How shall it be said that you have no clothes ?
I will share my under clothes with you .
The king is raising his forces ;
I will prepare my spear and lance ,
And will take the field with you .
How shall it be said that you have no clothes ?
I will share my lower garments with you .
The king is raising his forces ;
I will prepare my buffcoat and sharp weapons ,
And will march along with you .
134.WEI YANG
I escorted my mother's nephew ,
To the north of the Wei ,
What did I present to him ?
Four bay horses for his carriage of state .
I escorted my mother's nephew ,
Long , long did I think of him .
What did I present to him ?
A precious jasper , and gems for his girdle-pendant .
135.QUAN YU
He assigned us a house large and spacious ;
But now at every meal there is nothing left .
Alas that he could not continue as he began !
He assigned us at every meal four dishes of grain ;
But now at every meal we do not get our fill .
Alas that he could not continue as he began !
The Odes of Chen
136.WAN QIU
How gay and dissipated you are ,
There on the top of Wanqiu !
You are full of kindly affection indeed ,
But you have nothing to make you looked up to !
How your blows on the drum resound ,
At the foot of Wanqiu !
Be it winter , be it summer ,
You are holding your egret's feather !
How you beat your earthen vessel ,
On the way to Wanqiu !
Be it winter , be it summer ,
You are holding your egret-fan !
137.DONG MEN ZHI FEN
[There are] the white elms at the east gate .
And the oaks on Wanqiu ;
The daughter of Zizhong ,
Dances about under them .
A good morning having been chosen ,
For the plain in the South ,
She leaves twisting her hemp ,
And dances to it through the market-place .
The morning being good for excursion ,
They all proceed together .
' I look on you as the flower of the thorny mallow ;
You give me a stalk of the pepper plant .
138.HENG MEN
Beneath my door made of cross pieces of wood ,
I can rest at my leisure ;
By the wimpling stream from my fountain ,
I can joy amid my hunger .
Why , in eating fish ;
Must we have bream from the He ?
Why , in taking a wife ,
Must we have a Jiang of Qi ?
Why , in eating fish ;
Must we have carp from the He ?
Why , in taking a wife ,
Must we have a Zi of Song ?
139.DONG MEN ZHI CHI
The moat at the east gate ,
Is fit to steep hemp in .
That beautiful , virtuous , lady ,
Can respond to you in songs .
The moat at the east gate ,
Is fit to steep the boehmeria in .
That beautiful , virtuous , lady ,
Can respond to you in discourse .
The moat at the east gate ,
Is fit to steep the rope-rush in .
That beautiful , virtuous lady ,
Can respond to you in conversation .
140.DONG MEN ZHI YANG
On the willows at the east gate ,
The leaves are very luxuria....
The evening was the time agreed on ,
And the morning star is shining bright .
On the willows at the east gate ,
The leaves are dense .
The evening was the time agreed on ,
And the morning star is shining bright .
141.MU MEN
At the gate to the tombs there are jujube trees ; --
They should be cut away with an axe .
That man is not good ,
And the people of the State know it .
They know it , but he does not give over ; --
Long time has it been thus with him .
At the gate to the tombs there are plum trees ;
And there are owls collecting on them .
That man is not good ,
And I sing [this song] to admonish him .
I admonish him , but he will not regard me ; --
When he is overthrown , he will think of me .
142.FANG YOU QUE CHAO
On the embankment are magpies' nests ;
On the height grows the beautiful pea .
Who has been imposing on the object of my admiration ?
-- My heart is full of sorrow .
The middle path of the temple is covered with its tiles ;
On the height is the beautiful medallion plant .
Who has been imposing on the object of my admiration ?
-- My heart is full of trouble .
143.YUE CHU
The moon comes forth in her brightness ;
How lovely is that beautiful lady !
O to have my deep longings for her relieved !
How anxious is my toiled heart !
The moon comes forth in her splendour ;
How attractive is that beautiful lady !
O to have my anxieties about her relieved !
How agitated is my toiled heart !
The moon comes forth and shines ;
How brilliant is that beautiful lady !
O to have the chains of my mind relaxed !
How miserable is my toiled heart !
144.ZHU LIN
What does he in Zhulin ?
He is going after Xianan .
He is not going to Zhulin ;
He is going after Xianan .
' Yoke for me my team of horses ;
I will rest in the country about Zhu .
I will drive my team of colts ,
And breakfast at Zhu .'
145.ZE PO
By the shores of that marsh ,
There are rushes and lotus plants .
There is the beautiful lady ; --
I am tortured for her , but what avails it ?
Waking or sleeping , I do nothing ;
From my eyes and nose the water streams .
By the shores of that marsh ,
There are rushes and the valerian .
There is the beautiful lady ;
Tall and large , and elegant .
Waking or sleeping , I do nothing ;
My inmost heart is full of grief .
By the shores of that marsh ,
There are rushes and lotus flowers .
There is the beautiful lady ;
Tall and large , and majestic .
Waking or sleeping , I do nothing ;
On my side , on my back , with my face on the pillow , I lie .
The Odes of Kuai
146.GAO QIU
In your lamb's fur you saunter about ;
In your fox's fur you hold your court .
How should I not think anxiously about you ?
My toiled heart is full of grief .
In your lamb's fur you wander aimlessly about ;
In your fox's fur you appear in your hall .
How should I not think anxiously about you ?
My heart is wounded with sorrow .
Your lamb's fur , as if covered with ointment ;
Glistens when the sun comes forth .
How should I not think anxiously about you ?
To the core of my heart I am grieved .
147.SU GUAN
If I could but see the white cap ,
And the earnest mourner worn to leanness ! --
My toiled heart is worn with grief !
If I could but see the white [lower] dress ! --
My heart is wounded with sadness !
I should be inclined to go and live with the wearer !
If I could but see the white knee-covers ! --
Sorrow is knotted in my heart !
I should almost feel as of one soul with the wearer !
148.XI YOU CHANG CHU
In the low wet grouds is the carambola tree ;
Soft and pliant are its branches ,
With the glossiness of tender beauty .
I should rejoice to be like you , [O tree] , without consciousness .
In the low , damp grounds is the carambola tree ;
Soft and delicate are its flowers ,
With the glossiness of its tender beauty .
I should rejoice to be like you , [O tree] , without a family .
In the low , damp grounds is the carambola tree ;
Soft and delicate is its fruit ,
With the glossiness of its tender beauty .
I should rejoice to be like you , [O tree] , without a household .
149.FEI FENG
Not for the violence of the wind ;
Not for a rushing motion of a chariot ; --
But when I look to the road to Zhou ,
Am I pained to the core of my heart .
Not for the whirlwind ;
Not for the irregular motion of a chariot ; --
But when I look to the road to Zhou ,
Am I sad to the core of my heart .
Who can cook fish ?
I will wash his boilers for him .
Who will loyally go to the west ?
I will cheer him with good words .
The Odes of Cao
150.FU YOU
The wings of the ephemera ,
Are robes , bright and splendid .
My heart is grieved ; --
Would they but come and abide with me !
The wings of the ephemera ,
Are robes , variously adorned .
My heart is grieved ; --
Would they but come and rest with me !
The ephemera bursts from its hole ,
With a robe of hemp like snow .
My heart is grieved ; --
Would they but come and lodge with me !
151.HOU REN
Those officers of escort ,
Have their carriers of lances and halberds .
But these creatures ,
With their three hundred red covers for the knees ! --
The pelican is on the dam ,
And will not wet his wings !
These creatures ,
Are not equal to their dress !
The pelican is on the dam ,
And will not wet his beak !
These creatures ,
Do not respond to the favour they enjoy .
Extensive and luxuriant is the vegetation ,
And up the south hill in the morning rise the vapours .
Tender is she and lovely ,
But the young lady is suffering from hunger .
152.SHI JIU
The turtle dove is in the mulberry tree ,
And her young ones are seven .
The virtuous man , the princely one ,
Is uniformly correct in his deportment .
He is uniformly correct in his deportment ,
His heart is as if it were tied to what is correct .
The turtle dove is in the mulberry tree ,
And her young ones are in the plum tree .
The virtuous man , the princely one ,
Has his girdle of silk .
His girdle is of silk ,
And his cap is of spotted deer-skin .
The turtle dove is in the mulberry tree ,
And her young ones are in the jujube tree .
The virtuous man , the princely one ,
Has nothing wrong in his deportment .
He has nothing wrong in his deportment ,
And thus he rectifies the four quarters of the State .
The turtle dove is in the mulberry tree ,
And her young ones are in the hazel tree .
The virtuous man , the princely one ,
Rectifies the people of the State .
He rectifies the people of his State : --
May he continue for ten thousand years !
153.XIA QUAN
Cold come the waters down from that spring ,
And overflow the bushy wolf's-tail grass ,
Ah me ! I awake and sigh ,
Thinking of that capital of Zhou .
Cold come the waters down from that spring ,
And overflow the bushy southernwood ,
Ah me ! I awake and sigh ,
Thinking of that capital of Zhou .
Cold come the waters down from that spring ,
And overflow the bushy divining plants,
Ah me ! I awake and sigh ,
Thinking of that capital-city .
Beautifully grew the fields of young millet ,
Enriched by fertilizing rains .
The States had their sovereign ,
And there was the chief of Xun to reward their princes .
The Odes of Bin
154.QI YUE
In the seventh month , the Fire Star passes the meridian ;
In the 9th month , clothes are given out .
In the days of [our] first month , the wind blows cold ;
In the days of [our] second , the air is cold ; --
Without the clothes and garments of hair ,
How could we get to the end of the year ?
In the days of [our] third month , they take their ploughs in hand ;
In the days of [our] fourth , they take their way to the fields .
Along with my wife and children ,
I carry food to them in those south-lying acres .
The surveyor of the fields comes , and is glad .
In the seventh month , the Fire Star passes the meridian ;
In the ninth month , clothes are given out .
With the spring days the warmth begins ,
And the oriole utters its song .
The young women take their deep baskets ,
And go along the small paths ,
Looking for the tender [leaves of the] mulberry trees .
As the spring days lengthen out ,
They gather in crowds the white southernwood .
That young lady's heart is wounded with sadness ,
For she will [soon] be going with one of our princess as his wife .
In the seventh month , the Fire Star passes the meridian ;
In the eighth month are the sedges and reeds .
In the silkworm month they strip the mulberry branches of their leaves ,
And take their axes and hatchets ,
To lop off those that are distant and high ;
Only stripping the young trees of their leaves .
In the seventh month , the shrike is heard ;
In the eighth month , they begin their spinning ; --
They make dark fabrics and yellow .
Our red manufacture is very brilliant ,
It is for the lower robes of our young princes .
In the fourth month , the Small grass is in seed .
In the fifth , the cicada gives out its note .
In the eighth , they reap .
In the tenth , the leaves fall .
In the days of [our] first month , they go after badgers ,
And take foxes and wild cats ,
To make furs for our young princes .
In the days of [our] second month , they have a general hunt ,
And proceed to keep up the exercises of war .
The boars of one year are for themselves ;
Those of three years are for our prince .
In the fifth month , the locust moves its legs ;
In the sixth month , the spinner sounds its wings .
In the seventh month , in the fields ;
In the eighth month , under the eaves ;
In the ninth month , about the doors ;
In the tenth month , the cricket
Enters under our beds .
Chinks are filled up , and rats are smoked out ;
The windows that face [the north] are stopped up ;
And the doors are plastered .
' Ah ! our wives and children ,
' Changing the year requires this :
Enter here and dwell . '
In the sixth month they eat the sparrow-plums and grapes ;
In the seventh , they cook the Kui and pulse ,
In the eighth , they knock down the dates ;
In the tenth , they reap the rice ;
And make the spirits for the spring ,
For the benefit of the bushy eyebrows .
In the seventh month , they eat the melons ;
In the eighth , they cut down the bottle-gourds ;
In the ninth , they gather the hemp-seed ;
They gather the sowthistle and make firewood of the Fetid tree ;
To feed our husbandmen .
In the ninth month , they prepare the vegetable gardens for their stacks ,
And in the tenth they convey the sheaves to them ;
The millets , both the early sown and the late ,
With other grain , the hemp , the pulse , and the wheat .
' O my husbandmen ,
Our harvest is all collected .
Let us go to the town , and be at work on our houses .
In the day time collect the grass ,
And at night twist it into ropes ;
Then get up quickly on our roofs ; --
We shall have to recommence our sowing . '
In the days of [our] second month , they hew out the ice with harmonious blows ;
And in those of [our] third month , they convey it to the ice-houses ,
[Which they open] in those of the fourth , early in the morning ,
Having offered in sacrifice a lamb with scallions .
In the ninth month , it is cold , with frost ;
In the tenth month , they sweep clean their stack-sites .
The two bottles of spirits are enjoyed ,
And they say , ' Let us kill our lambs and sheep ,
And go to the hall of our prince ,
There raise the cup of rhinoceros horn ,
And wish him long life , -- that he may live for ever . '
155. CHI XIAO
O owl , O owl ,
You have taken my young ones ; --
Do not [also] destroy my nest .
With love and with toil ,
I nourished them . -- I am to be pitied .
Before the sky was dark with rain ,
I gathered the roots of the mulberry tree ,
And bound round and round my window and door .
Now ye people below ,
Dare any of you despise my house ?
With my claws I tore and held .
Through the rushes which I gathered ,
And all the materials I collected ,
My mouth was all sore ; --
I said to myself , ' I have not yet got my house complete . '
My wings are all-injured ;
My tail is all-broken ;
My house is in a perilous condition ;
It is tossed about in the wind and rain : --
I can but cry out with this note of alarm .
156.DONG SHAN
We went to the hills of the east ,
And long were we there without returning ,
When we came from the east ,
Down came the rain drizzlingly .
When we were in the east , and it was said we should return ,
Our hearts were in the west and sad ;
But there were they preparing our clothes for us ,
As to serve no more in the ranks with the gags .
Creeping about were the caterpillars ,
All over the mulberry grounds ;
And quietly and solitarily did we pass the night ,
Under our carriages .
We went to the hills of the east ,
And long were we there without returning ,
When we came from the east ,
Down came the rain drizzlingly .
The fruit of the heavenly gourd ,
Would be hanging about our eaves ;
The sowbug would be in our chambers ;
The spiders webs would be in our doors ;
Our paddocks would be deer-fields ;
The fitful light of the glow-worms would be all about .
These thoughts made us apprehensive ,
And they occupied our breasts .
We went to the hills of the east ,
And long were we there without returning ,
On our way back from the east ,
Down came the rain drizzlingly .
The cranes were crying on the ant-hills ;
Our wives were sighing in their rooms ;
They had sprinkled and swept , and stuffed up all the crevices .
Suddenly we arrived from the expedition ,
And there were the bitter gourds hanging ,
From the branches of the chestnut trees .
Since we had seen such a sight ,
Three years were now elapsed .
We went to the hills of the east ,
And long were we there without returning ,
On our way back from the east ,
Down came the rain drizzlingly .
The oriole is flying about ,
Now here , now there , are its wings .
Those young ladies are going to be married ,
With their bay and red horses , flecked with white .
Their mothers have tied their sashes ;
Complete are their equipments .
The new matches are admirable ; --
How can the reunions of the old be expressed ?
157.PO FU
We broke our axes ,
And we splintered our hatchets ;
But the object of the duke of Zhou , in marching to the east ,
Was to put the four States to rights .
His compassion for us people ,
Is very great .
We broke our axes ,
And we splintered our chisels ;
But the object of the duke of Zhou , in marching to the east ,
Was to reform the four States .
His compassion for us people ,
Is very admirable .
We broke our axes ,
And splintered our clubs .
But the object of the duke of Zhou , in marching to the east ,
Was to save the alliance of the four States .
His compassion for us people ,
Is very excellent .
158.FA KE
In hewing [the wood for] an axe-handle , how do you proceed ?
Without [another] axe it cannot be done .
In taking a wife , how do you proceed ?
Without a go-between it cannot be done .
In hewing an axe-handle , in hewing an axe-handle ,
The pattern is not far off .
I see the lady ,
And forthwith the vessels are arranged in rows .
159.JIU YU
In the net with its nine bags ,
Are rud and bream .
We see this prince ,
With his grand-ducal robe and embroidered skirt .
The wild geese fly [only] about the islets .
The duke is returning ; -- is it not to his proper place ?
He was stopping with you [and me] but for a couple of nights .
The wild geese fly about the land .
The duke is returning , and will not come back here ?
He was lodging with you [and me] but for a couple of nights .
160.LANG BA
The wolf springs forward on his dewlap ,
Or trips back on his tail .
The duke was humble , and greatly admirable ,
Self-composed in his red slippers .
The wolf springs forward on his dewlap ,
Or trips back on his tail .
The duke was humble , and greatly admirable ,
There is no flaw in his virtuous fame .
