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The Book of Poetry, tr. by James Legge, [1876], at sacred-texts.com


III

The Shih Chiu; allusive. The praise of some one, some earl, probably of Ts'ao, uniformly of virtuous conduct and of extensive influence.

1See in the mulberry tree the turtledove
Her seven young tending with untiring love.
Like her is he, our lord, whose virtuous aim
His movements, all to rule exact, proclaim.
His movements, all to rule exact, attest
His heart to virtue bound within his breast.

2The mulberry tree still gives the dove to sight,
But to the plum her young have taken flight.
So is that princely man to virtue bound,
Who ever with his 'silken sash is found. p. 166
In silken girdle loves he to appear,
And bonnet made from skin of spotted deer.

3Behold the dove upon the mulberry tree,
While on the jujube her seven young we see.
In soul so steadfast is that princely man,
Whose course for fault of flaw we vainly scan.
His movements without fault or flaw beget
Good order for his rule throughout the state.

4See on the mulberry tree the dove still sit,
And on the hazel all her young ones flit.
So on his aim that princely man is set,
Who rectifies the people of our state.
His laws to all affairs such order give;—
Ten thousand years in vigor may he live!


Next: IV. Hsia Ch‘üan