With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
　　Eating the celery of the fields.
　　I have here admirable guests;
　　The lutes are struck, and the organ is blown [for them]; --
　　The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving.
　　The baskets of offerings [also] are presented to them.
　　The men love me,
　　And will show me the perfect path.
　　
　　With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
　　Eating the southernwood of the fields.
　　I have here admirable guests;
　　Whose virtuous fame is grandly brilliant.
　　They show the people not to be mean;
　　The officers have in them a pattern and model.
　　I have good wine,
　　Which my admirable guests drink, enjoying themselves.
　　
　　With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
　　Eating the salsola of the fields.
　　I have here admirable guests;
　　For whom are struck the lutes, large and small.
　　The lutes, large and small, are struck,
　　And our harmonious joy is long-continued.
　　I have good wine,
　　To feast and make glad the hearts of my admirable guests.

　　My four steeds advanced without stopping;
　　The way from Zhou was winding and tedious.
　　Did I not have the wish to return?
　　But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
　　And my heart was wounded with sadness.
　　
　　My four steeds advanced without stopping;
　　They panted and snorted, the white steeds black-maned.
　　Did I not have the wish to return?
　　But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
　　And I had not leisure to kneel or to sit.
　　
　　The Filial doves keep flying about,
　　Now soaring aloft, and now descending,
　　Collecting on the bushy oaks;
　　But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
　　And I had not leisure to nourish my father.
　　
　　The Filial doves keep flying about,
　　Now flying, now stopping,
　　Collecting on the bushy medlars;
　　But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
　　And I had not leisure to nourish my mother.
　　
　　I yoked my four white steeds, black-maned;
　　They hurried away with speed.
　　[But] did I not wish to return?
　　Therefore I make this song,
　　Announcing my wish to nourish my mother.

　　Brilliant are the flowers,
　　On those level heights and the low grounds.
　　Complete and alert is the messenger, with his suite,
　　Ever anxious lest he should not succeed.
　　
　　My horses are young;
　　The six reins look as if they were moistened.
　　I gallop them, and urge them on,
　　Everywhere pushing my inquiries.
　　
　　My horses are piebald;
　　The six reins are like silk.
　　I gallop them, and urge them on,
　　Everywhere seeking information and counsel.
　　
　　My horses are white and black-maned;
　　The six reins look glossy.
　　I gallop them, and urge them on,
　　Everywhere seeking information and advice.
　　
　　My horses are grey;
　　The six reins are well in hand.
　　I gallop them, and urge them on,
　　Everywhere seeking information and suggestions.

　　The flowers of the cherry tree --
　　Are they not gorgeously displayed?
　　Of all the men in the world,
　　There are none equal to brothers.
　　
　　On the dreaded occasions of death and burial,
　　It is brothers who greatly sympathize.
　　When fugitives are collected on the heights and low grounds,
　　They are brothers who will seek one another out.
　　
　　There is the wagtail on the level height; --
　　When brothers are in urgent difficulties,
　　Friends, though they may be good,
　　Will [only] heave long sighs.
　　
　　Brothers may quarrel inside the walls,
　　But they will oppose insult from without,
　　When friends, however good they may be,
　　Will not afford help.
　　
　　When death and disorder are past,
　　And there are tranquillity and rest;
　　Although they have brothers,
　　[Some] reckon them not equal to friends.
　　
　　Your dishes may be set in array,
　　And you may drink to satiety;
　　But it is when your brothers are all present,
　　That you are harmonious and happy, with child-like joy.
　　
　　Loving union with wife and children,
　　Is like the music of lutes;
　　But it is the accord of brothers,
　　Which makes the harmony and happiness lasting.
　　
　　For the ordering of your family,
　　For your joy in yor wife and children,
　　Examine this and study it; --
　　Will you not find that it is truly so?

　　On the trees go the blows ding-ding;
　　And the birds cry out ying-ying.
　　One issues from the dark valley,
　　And removes to the lofty tree,
　　While ying goes its cry,
　　Seeking with its voice its companion.
　　Look at the bird,
　　Bird as it is, seeking with its voice its companion;
　　And shall a man,
　　Not seek to have his friends?
　　Spiritual beings will then hearken to him;
　　He shall have harmony and peace.
　　
　　Xu-xu they go, as they fell the trees.
　　I have strained off my spirits, till they are fine,
　　And the fatted lambs are provided,
　　To which to invite my paternal uncles.
　　It is better that something should keep them from coming,
　　Than that I should not have regarded them.
　　Oh! brightly I have sprinkled and swept my courtyard,
　　And arranged my viands, with eight dishes of grain, along with my fatted meat,
　　To which to invite my maternal uncles.
　　It is better that something should keep them from coming,
　　Than that there should be blame attaching to me.
　　
　　They fell down the trees along the hill-side.
　　I have strained off my spirits in abundance;
　　The dishes stand in rows,
　　And none of my brethren are absent.
　　The loss of kindly feeling among people,
　　May arise from faults in the matter of dry provisions.
　　If I have spirits I strain them, do I;
　　If I have no spirits, I buy them, do I;
　　I make the drums beat, do I;
　　I lead on the dance, do I.
　　Whenever we have leisure,
　　Let us drink the sparkling spirits.

　　Heaven protects and establishes thee,
　　With the greatest securtiy;
　　Makes thee entirely virtuous,
　　That thou mayest enjoy every happiness;
　　Grants thee much increase,
　　So that thou hast all in abundance.
　　
　　Heaven protects and establishes thee,
　　It grants thee all excellence,
　　So that thine every matter is right,
　　And thou receivest every heavenly favour.
　　It sends down to thee long-during happiness,
　　Which the days are not sufficient to enjoy.
　　
　　Heaven protects and establishes thee,
　　So that in every thing thou dost prosper,
　　Like the high hills, and the mountain masses,
　　Like the topmost ridges, and the greatest bulks;
　　That, as the stream ever coming on,
　　Such is thine increase.
　　
　　With happy auspices and purifications, thou bringest the offerings,
　　And dost filially present them;
　　In spring, summer, autumn, and winter,
　　To the dukes and former kings,
　　Who says, " We give to thee,
　　Myriad of years of duration unlimited. "
　　
　　The spirits come,
　　And confer on thee many blessings.
　　The people are simple and honest,
　　Daily enjoying their meat and drink.
　　All the black-haired race, in all their surnames,
　　Universally practise your virtue.
　　
　　Like the moon advancing to the full,
　　Like the sun ascending the heavens,
　　Like the age of the southern hills,
　　Never waning, never falling,
　　Like the luxuriance of the fir and the cypress; --
　　May such be thy succeeding line!

　　Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
　　The thorn-ferns are now springing up.
　　When shall we return? When shall we return?
　　It will be late in the [next] year.
　　Wife and husband will be separated,
　　Because of the Xian-yun.
　　We shall have no leisure to rest,
　　Because of the Xian-yun.
　　
　　Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
　　The thorn-ferns are now tender.
　　When shall we return? When shall we return?
　　Our hearts are sorrowful;
　　Our hearts are sad and sorrowful;
　　We shall hunger, we shall thirst.
　　While our service on guard is not finished,
　　We can send no one home to enquire about our families.
　　
　　Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
　　The thorn-ferns are now hard.
　　When shall we return? When shall we return?
　　The year will be in the tenth month.
　　But the king's business must not be slackly performed;
　　We shall have no leisure to rest.
　　Our sorrowing hearts are in great distress;
　　But we shall not return from our expedition.
　　
　　What is that so gorgeous?
　　It is the flowers of the cherry tree.
　　What carriage is that?
　　It is the carriage of our general.
　　His war carriage is yoked;
　　The four steeds are strong.
　　Dare we remain inactive?
　　In one month we shall have three victories.
　　
　　The four steeds are yoked,
　　The four steeds, eager and strong; --
　　The confidence of the general,
　　The protection of the men.
　　The four steeds move regularly, like wings; --
　　There are the bow with its ivory ends, and the seal-skin quiver.
　　Shall we not daily warn one another?
　　The business of the Xian-yun is very urgent.
　　
　　At first, when we set out,
　　The willows were fresh and green;
　　Now, when we shall be returning,
　　The snow will be falling in clouds.
　　Long and tedious will be our marching;
　　We shall hunger; we shall thirst.
　　Our hearts are wounded with grief,
　　And no one knows our sadness.

　　We proceeded with our carriage,
　　To those pasture grounds.
　　" From the place of the son of Heaven,
　　Came an order to me to march, " [said the general].
　　So he called his carriage-officers,
　　And told them to get the carriages all ready.
　　" The king"s business, " [said he], " is surrounded with difficulties;
　　We must use despatch. "
　　
　　We proceeded with our carriage,
　　To that suburban region.
　　The banner with tortoises and serpents was raised,
　　And the ox-tails set up at the top of its staff;
　　Did not it and the falcon banner,
　　Fly about grandly?
　　The [general"s] heart was anxious and sad,
　　And the carriage-officers appeared full of care.
　　
　　The king charged Nan Zhong,
　　To go and build a wall in the [disturbed] region.
　　How numerous were his chariots!
　　How splendid his dragon, his tortoise and serpent flags!
　　The son of Heaven had charged us,
　　To build a wall in that northern region.
　　Awe-inspiring was Nan Zhong;
　　The Xian-yun were sure to be swept away!
　　
　　When we were marching at first,
　　The millets were in flower.
　　Now that we are returning,
　　The snow falls, and the roads are all mire.
　　The king"s business was not to be slackly performed,
　　And we had not leisure to rest.
　　Did we not long to return?
　　But we were in awe of the orders in the tablets.
　　
　　" Yao-yao go the grass-insects,
　　And the hoppers leap about.
　　While we do not see our husbands,
　　Our hearts must be full of grief.
　　Let us but see our husbands,
　　And our hearts will be at rest. "
　　The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong,
　　Is smiting the Rong of the west.
　　
　　The spring-days are lengthening out;
　　The plants and trees grow full of verdure;
　　The oriole"s cry comes jie-jie;
　　[Our wives] go in crowds to gather the white southernwood.
　　With our prisoners for the question and our captive crowd,
　　We return.
　　Awe-inspiring is Nan zhong;
　　The Xian-yun are pacified.

　　Solitary stands the russet pear tree,
　　With its fruit so bright.
　　The king's business must not be slackly performed,
　　And the days are prolonged with us one after another.
　　The sun and moon are in the tenth month.
　　My woman's heart is wounded;
　　My soldier might have leisure [to return]!
　　
　　Solitary stands the russet pear tree,
　　With its leaves so luxuriant.
　　The king's business must not be slackly performed,
　　And my heart is wounded and sad.
　　The plants and trees are luxuriant,
　　But my heart is sad.
　　O that my soldier might return!
　　
　　I ascended that hill in the north,
　　To gather the medlars.
　　The king's business must not be slackly performed,
　　And our parents are made sorrowful.
　　His chariot of sandal wood must be damaged;
　　His four horses must be worn out;
　　My soldier cannot be far off.
　　
　　They have not packed up, they do not come;
　　My sorrowing heart is greatly distressed.
　　The time is past, and he is not here,
　　To the multiplication of my sorrows.
　　Both by the tortoise shell and the reeds have I divined,
　　And they unite in saying he is near.
　　My soldier is at hand!