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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 — °ê ­· Lessons from the states
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15
Chapter 8 — »ô ­· The odes of Qi

96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106

Shijing I. 8. (96)

' 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. '

Legge 96

Shijing I. 8. (97)

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.

Legge 97

Shijing I. 8. (98)

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.

Legge 98

Shijing I. 8. (99)

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.

Legge 99

Soleil à l'orient !
C'est une belle fille
qui est ans ma maison....
Elle est dans ma maison !
à ma suite elle y vient !

Lune vers l'Orient !
C'est une belle fille
qui est près de ma porte !...
Elle est près de ma porte !
à ma suite elle en sort !

Granet XLI.

Shijing I. 8. (100)

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.

Legge 100

Shijing I. 8. (101)

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 ?

Legge 101

Shijing I. 8. (102)

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 !

Legge 102

Shijing I. 8. (103)

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.

Legge 103

Shijing I. 8. (104)

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.

Legge 104

Shijing I. 8. (105)

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.

Legge 105

Shijing I. 8. (106)

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 !

Legge 106

Shi Jing I. 8. Table of content
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The Book of Odes – Shi Jing I. 8. – Chinese on/offFrançais/English
Alias Shijing, Shi Jing, Book of Odes, Book of Songs, Classic of Odes, Classic of Poetry, Livre des Odes, Canon des Poèmes.

The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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