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Shi Jing Introduction Table of content – The Book of Odes

The oldest collection of Chinese poetry, more than three hundred songs, odes and hymns. Tr. Legge (en) and Granet (fr, incomplete).

Section I — Lessons from the states
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15
Chapter 3 — The odes of Bei

26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Shijing I. 3. (26)

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.

Legge 26

Shijing I. 3. (27)

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.

Legge 27

Shijing I. 3. (28)

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.

Legge 28

[Xref] Lunyu III. 2. quotes Shijing IV. 2. (282)
gbog – Lunyu 42 2 – 2005/12/02

Shijing I. 3. (29)

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 ?

Legge 29

Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!

From: Book of Ode
Period: Spring and Autumn
Dynasty: Eastern Zhou
Section: Songs of Wei State
(Collected by Confucius)
Translated by Laijon Liu (2007.08.14)

Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who forgot his home and course.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And why he refuses to come into my room?

Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who forgot my love and grace.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
Why he leaves me alone in my empty room?

Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who lost his honor and Heaven’s bliss.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And I should forget him, away with sorrow.

Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
You rise from east with shining rays.
Ah- my daddy and my mommy,
My husband loves me no more.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And I will not suffer in sorrow any more!

Note:
The poet may be a young and just married wife lived in State of Wei. She complained about her husband that stopped loving her. And she eventually thinks wisely that “Anyway he does not keep his vow, so she gives up her sorrow, or maybe seeks a new beginning.”

From:
http://laijonliu.blogspot.com/
Anon. – 2006/12/08
[Xref] Lunyu II. 2. quotes Shijing IV. 4. (297)
gbog – Lunyu 187 – 2005/12/02

Shijing I. 3. (30)

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.

Legge 30

Shijing I. 3. (31)

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.

Legge 31

Thursday, August 16, 2007
Banging the Drum

From: Book of Ode
Period: Spring and Autumn
Dynasty: Eastern Zhou
Section: Songs of Wei State
(Collected by Confucius)
Translated by Laijon Liu (2007.08.16)

Banging the drum, dang, dang, dang,
Eager soldiers raise their arms.
They all fortify our citadel and canals,
But I follow my regiment to the south.

I serve my general Sun Zi Zhong,
To make peace for State of Chen and Song.
For our engagement that I cannot return,
So I am in worry and anxiety.

Where I shall look for shelters?
Where I will find my horse?
And how I should search?
Maybe the answer is hiding in the woods.

“Our vow is beyond death and life”,
I and you are together I always remembered.
I will hold your hand,
And together we grow old.

Too pitiful we are faraway apart,
The distance separates us to meet again!
Too miserable this takes forever,
And it does not let us fulfill our vow!

Note:
The poet may be an elite soldier of State of Wei.
He followed his general Sun Zi Zhong served near the border of State of Chen and Song (two states were in conflict), and stayed there. He was anxiously waiting for the order to return to his home there his wife was. And during the operation, he lost his horse, which was a desperate situation (horses in ancient time carried soldier supply and weapons, are life companion for soldiers in advance or retreat), he lost his horse, his supply, maybe his armor and weapons, and the road he was facing that we may lose his life so he may never go back. In all these mess, he started searching, and somehow at this hopeless moment he started to revisit his happiest moment, when he together vowed in marriage ceremony with his wife, and he was even afraid that he might never see his love again.
The end of our life, reminds us the true happy moment, experience, value... Confucius said:" At the end of man's life, his words are graceful; At the death of a bird, his song is in grievous tone.

It is unfair to put anyone in such situation: "To kill or to be killed".
The poet's questions are common for everyone in desperate time, when we cannot run away and our future is in other people's decision. When nations or states look for honour, justice, righteousness, peace... their actions and methods often fall into violence. So common's life, happiness and value are at stake, become sacrifice of their leaders' faith and belief. So the poet asked "Where I shall look for shelters? Where I will find my horse(his life companion)? How I should find?" And "Maybe the answer is hiding in the woods." He might be seek a way out, that to hide in the forest, away from society?

And His last statement for his true value is his home, his love, his fulfillment of his vow is his true duty. Hero's duty is to pursue love.

From:
http://laijonliu.blogspot.com/
Anon. – 2006/12/08

Shijing I. 3. (32)

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.

Legge 32

Shijing I. 3. (33)

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 ?

Legge 33

[Xref] Lunyu IX. 27. quotes Shijing I. 3. (33)
gbog – Lunyu 236 – 2005/12/02

Shijing I. 3. (34)

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.

Legge 34

La courge a des feuilles amères,
le gué a de profondes eaux !
Aux fortes eaux, troussez les jupes !
soulevez-les, aux basses eaux !

C'est la crue au gué où l'eau monte !
c'est l'appel des perdrix criant !
L'eau monte et l'essieu ne s'y mouille !
perdrix crie, son mâle appelant !

L'appel s'entend des oies sauvages,
au point du jour, l'aube parue !
L'homme s'en va chercher sa femme,
Quand la glace n'est pas fondue !

Appelle ! appelle ! homme à la barque !
Que d'autres passent !... Moi, nenni !...
Que d'autres passent !... Moi, nenni !...
moi, j'attendrai le mien ami !

Granet L.

[Xref] Lunyu XIV. 39. quotes Shi Jing I. 3. (34)
gbog – Lunyu 386 – 2005/12/02

Shijing I. 3. (35)

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.

Legge 35

On passe quand l'eau est profonde,
soit en radeau, soit en bateau !
On passe l'eau quand elle est basse
soit par le gué, soit en nageant !

Granet XLIX.

Other Contemporary English Translation:

Sunday, August 19, 2007
Streaming Wind

From: Book of Ode
Period: Spring and Autumn
Section: Songs of Wei State
(Collected by Confucius)
Translated by Laijon Liu (2007.08.19)

Screaming, screeching, the streaming wind,
It is cloudy, rainy, and gloomy sky.
Husband and wife shall encourage each other,
They should not have any angers and blame.
As if we gather cabbages and radishes,
That we shall not throw away their roots.
Let us not forget our graceful words:
“Be with you together until our death!”

As I walked on my road slowly,
But my feet and heart are in disagreeing.
I do not wish you to go with me for long,
But I never expected you just stopped by the door.
Who said the edible plant is so bitter?
But to me it is sweet as shepherd's purse.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
And you two are so close and brotherly.

River Wei joins into river Jing, defiled her surface,
But the bottom of river Jing is still very clear.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
But please stop saying that I am unclean.
Please do not come to my fishing dam,
Please do not lift up my fishing baskets.
Even you do not respect my faithfulness,
Who would care about my name and family?

Marriage is river where is too deep,
Then we shall cross it in a boat.
Marriage is river where is shallow,
Then we shall swim to across it.
If we really lack or need anything,
Then we shall seek it in strength and heart.
Even our neighbor meet any disaster,
We offer our hands in crawling or running.

If you really do not love me I understand,
But why you look at me as if I’m your enemy.
All my love and grace you never accepted,
As if I’m junk that no one is willing to bid.
Our past life were in suffering of poverty,
We supported each other to overcome all troubles.
Now your life is in a good and easy shape,
But you compare me to a venomous insect.

I am like a preserved dry vegetable you stored,
That just for you to get pass the winter season.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
But please do not use me to prevent poverty,
Please stop venting and ranting at me.
Please do not force me into any heavy labor.
All our past love and goodwill are forgotten,
And your grace and my love are gone and vanished.

Note:
The poet might be a wife who lived with her husband for some difficult and suffering time. And after their life got better, her husband found new love and abandoned her, married a young girl, and despised his old/first wife, and used his wife as his slave or servant or something. I really felt her paining. And I decided not to look or support for polygamy marriage. If I need to battle my wife for whole life, then to death I will fight with or against her like the TV show: “Everybody loves Raymond”. :-)
This poem is for every wife.

From:
http://laijonliu.blogspot.com/2007/08/streaming-wind.html
Anon. – 2006/12/08

Shijing I. 3. (36)

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 ?

Legge 36

Shijing I. 3. (37)

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.

Legge 37

Shijing I. 3. (38)

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 !

Legge 38

Shijing I. 3. (39)

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.

Legge 39

Shijing I. 3. (40)

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 ?

Legge 40

Shijing I. 3. (41)

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 !

Legge 41

Le vent du nord, quelle froidure !
pluie et neige, quelles bourrasques !
Tendrement, oh ! si vous m'aimez,
les mains jointes, allons ensemble.
Pourquoi rester ? Pourquoi tarder ?
Le temps est venu ! oui, vraiment !

Le vent du nord, quelle tempête !
pluie et neige, quels tourbillons !
Tendrement, oh ! si vous m'aimez,
les mains jointes, partons ensemble !
Pourquoi rester ? Pourquoi tarder !
le temps est venu ! oui, vraiment !

Rien n'est fauve comme un renard !
rien n'est noir comme une corneille !
Tendrement, oh ! si vous m'aimez,
les mains jointes, montons en char !
Pourquoi rester ? Pourquoi tarder ?
le temps est venu ! oui, vraiment !

Granet XII.

Shijing I. 3. (42)

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.

Legge 42

La Vierge sage, que de grâce !
elle m'attend au coin des murs,
Je l'aime, et, si je ne la vois,
je me gratte la tête, éperdu...

La Vierge sage, que de charme !
elle me donne un tube rouge !
Le tube rouge a de l'éclat :
la beauté de la fille enchante !

Plante qui viens des pâturages,
vraiment belle en ta rareté,
Non, ce n'est pas toi qui es belle :
tu es le don d'une beauté !

Granet XXXIX.

Shijing I. 3. (43)

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.

Legge 43

Shijing I. 3. (44)

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 ?

Legge 44

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