The Odes Of Cao

曹風  (The Odes Of Cao)

150.  蜉蝣  FU YOU

蜉蝣之羽、衣裳楚楚。  心之憂矣、於我歸處。

蜉蝣之翼、采采衣服。  心之憂矣、於我歸息。

蜉蝣掘閱、麻衣如雪。  心之憂矣、於我歸說。

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.  候人  HOU REN

彼候人兮、何戈與祋。  彼其之子、三百赤芾。

維鵜在梁、不濡其翼。  彼其之子、不稱其服。

維鵜在梁、不濡其咮。  彼其之子、不遂其媾。

薈兮蔚兮、南山朝隮。  婉兮孌兮、季女斯飢。

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.  鳲鳩  SHI JIU

鳲鳩在桑、其子七兮。  淑人君子、其儀一兮。  其儀一兮、心如結兮。

鳲鳩在桑、其子在梅。  淑人君子、其帶伊絲。  其帶伊絲、其弁伊騏。

鳲鳩在桑、其子在棘。  淑人君子、其儀不忒。  其儀不忒、正是四國。

鳲鳩在桑、其子在榛。  淑人君子、正是國人。  正是國人、胡不萬年。

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.  下泉  XIA QUAN

冽彼下泉、浸彼苞稂。  愾我寤嘆、念彼周京。

冽彼下泉、浸彼苞蕭。  愾我寤嘆、念彼京周。

冽彼下泉、浸彼苞著。  愾無寤歎、念彼京師。

芃芃黍苗、陰雨膏之。  四國有王、郇伯勞之。

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 .

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