生民Was from Jiang Yuan.
How did she give birth to [our] people?
She had presented a pure offering and sacrificed,
That her childlessness might be taken away.
She then trod on a toe-print made by God, and was moved,
In the large place where she rested.
She became pregnant; she dwelt retired;
She gave birth to, and nourished [a son],
Who was Hou-ji.
When she had fulfilled her months,
Her first-born son [came forth] like a lamb.
There was no bursting, nor rending,
No injury, no hurt; --
Showing how wonderful he would be.
Did not God give her the comfort?
Had He not accepted her pure offering and sacrifice,
So that thus easily she brought forth her son?
He was placed in a narrow lane,
But the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care.
He was placed in a wide forest,
Where he was met with by the wood-cutters.
He was placed on the cold ice,
And a bird screened and supported him with its wings.
When the bird went away,
Hou-ji began to wail.
His cry was long and loud,
So that his voice filled the whole way.
When he was able to crawl,
He looked majestic and intelligent.
When he was able to feed himself,
He fell to planting large beans.
The beans grew luxuriantly;
His rows of paddy shot up beautifully;
His hemp and wheat grew strong and close;
His gourds yielded abundantly.
The husbandry of Hou-ji,
Proceeded on the plan of helping [the growth].
Having cleared away the thick grass,
He sowed the ground with the yellow cereals.
He managed the living grain, till it was ready to burst;
Then he used it as seed, and it sprang up;
It grew and came into ear;
It became strong and good;
It hung down, every grain complete; --
And thus he was appointed lord of Tai.
He gave his people the beautiful grains: --
The black millet, and the double-kernelled;
The tall red, and the white.
They planted extensively the black and the double-kernelled,
Which were reaped and stacked on the ground.
They planted extensively the tall red and the white,
Which were carried on their shoulders and backs,
Home for the sacrifices which he founded.
And how as to our sacrifices [to him]?
Some hull [the grain]; some take it from the mortar;
Some sift it; some tread it.
It is rattling in the dishes;
It is distilled, and the steam floats about.
We consult; we observe the rites of purification;
We take southernwood and offer it with the fat;
We sacrifice a ram to the Spirit of the path;
We offer roast flesh and broiled: --
And thus introduce the coming year.
We load the stands with the offerings,
The stands both of wood and of earthenware.
As soon as the fragrance ascends,
God, well pleased, smells the sweet savour.
Fragrant is it, and in its due season!
Hou-ji founded the sacrifice,
And no one, we presume, has given occasion for blame or regret in regret to it,
Down to the present day.
【Notes】 【译文】
是谁生下第一代周人，姜嫄就是那位母亲。且说周人怎样降生？有一天姜嫄行禋祭，因为无儿求上帝。她踩着上帝的脚拇指印，心里欢喜。就在那里停下来休息。她怀孕了，不敢大意。后来生了孩子，那就是后稷。
姜嫄怀足了十月胎，头生子像只小羊滑下来。不破也不裂，无灾又无害。这些事情显得多奇怪。莫非上帝不愉快，我的祭祀他不爱。教我有儿不敢养，白白生下来。
把他扔在胡同里，牛羊一起来喂乳；把他扔在树林里，恰巧有人来砍树；把他扔在寒冰里上，鸟儿展翅将他护。鸟儿飞去了，后稷哇哇哭。哭声又长又洪亮，大路上听得蛮清楚。
后稷才会爬，就显出智慧，能把食物找到嘴。他去种大豆，大豆棵棵肥。满田谷穗个个美，麻和麦子盖田野。大瓜小瓜都成堆。
后稷种庄稼，有他的好方法，先把乱草除，后把好种下。苗儿齐整又旺盛，长高又长大。慢慢发育出穗子，结结实实谁不夸。无数的谷穗沉沉挂，后稷到邰地成了家。
天降好种真出奇：两种黑黍叫做秬和秠，又有赤苗的穈和白苗的芑。黑黍遍地仗，收割按亩来算计；抱起背起送家里；回家开始把神祭。
要问祭神怎么祭？有人忙舂米，有人忙舀米，有人舂二道，有人簸糠皮，响叟叟是淘米，气腾腾是蒸米。然后商量好主意，采些香蒿和油脂，公羊先把道神祭。烧起来，烤起来，祈求来年丰产如人意。
祭品盛在木碗里，木碗瓦罐都盛些。香气开始升上天，上帝安然来受祭，这香气为何真正合时宜？自从后稷创祭礼，无灾又无难，直到今日里。