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	Shoes thinly woven of the dolichos fibre,
	May be used to walk on the hoarfrost.
	The delicate fingers of a bride,
	May be used in making clothes.
	[His bride] puts the waistband to his lower garment and the collar to his upper,
	And he, a wealthy man, wears them.
	Wealthy, he moves about quite at ease,
	And politely he stands aside to the left.
	From his girdle hangs his ivory comb-pin.
	It is the narrowness of his disposition,
	Which makes him a subject for satire.

	There in the oozy grounds of the Fen,
	They gather the sorrel.
	That officer,
	Is elegant beyond measure.
	He is elegant beyond measure.
	But, perhaps, he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's carriages ought to be.
	There along the side of the Fen,
	They gather the mulberry leaves.
	That officer,
	Is elegant as a flower.
	He is elegant as a flower;
	But, perhaps, he is not what the marshaller of the carriages ought to be.
	There along the bend of the Fen,
	They gather the ox-lips.
	That officer,
	Is elegant as a gem.
	He is elegant as a gem;
	But, perhaps, he is not what the superintendent of the ruler's relations should be.

	Of the peach trees in the garden,
	The fruit may be used as food.
	My heart is grieved,
	And I play and sing.
	Those who do not know me,
	Say I am a scholar venting his pride.
	' Those men are right;
	What do you mean by your words? '
	My heart is grieved;
	Who knows [the cause of] it?
	Who knows [the cause of] it?
	[They know it not], because they will not think.
	Of the jujube trees in the garden,
	The fruit may be used as food.
	My heart is grieved,
	And I think I must travel about through the State.
	Those who do not know me,
	Say I am an officer going to the verge of license.
	' Those men are right;
	What do you mean by your words? '
	My heart is grieved;
	Who knows [the cause of] it?
	Who knows [the cause of] it?
	[They do not know it], because they will not think.

	I ascend that tree-clad hill,
	And look towards [the residence of] my father.
	My father is saying, ' Alas! my son, abroad on the public service,
	Morning and night never rests.
	May he be careful,
	That he may come [back], and not remain there! '
	I ascend that bare hill,
	And look towards [the residence of] my mother.
	My mother is saying, ' Alas! my child, abroad on the public service,
	Morning and night has no sleep.
	May he be careful,
	That he may come [back], and not leave his body there! '
	I ascend that ridge,
	And look towards [the residence of] my elder brother.
	My brother is saying, ' Alas! my younger brother, abroad on the public service,
	Morning and night must consort with his comrades.
	May he be careful,
	That he may come back, and not die! '

	Among their ten acres,
	The mulberry-planters stand idly about.
	' Come, ' [says one to another], ' I will go away with you. '
	Beyond those ten acres,
	The mulberry-planters move idly about.
	' Come, ' [says one to another], ' I will go away with you. '

	Kan-kan go his blows on the sandal trees,
	And he places what he hews on the river's bank,
	Whose waters flow clear and rippling.
	You sow not nor reap; --
	How do you get the produce of those three hundred farms?
	You do not follow the chase; --
	How do we see the badgers hanging up in your court yards?
	O that superior man!
	He would not eat the bread of idleness!
	Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his spokes,
	And he places it by the side of the river,
	Whose waters flow clear and even.
	You sow not nor reap; --
	How do you get your three millions of sheaves?
	You do not follow the chase; --
	How do we see the three-year-olds hanging up in your court yards?
	O that superior man!
	He would not eat the bread of idleness!
	Kan-kan go his blows on the wood for his wheels,
	And he places it by the lip of the river,
	Whose waters flow clear in rippling circles.
	You sow not nor reap; --
	How do you get the paddy for your three hundred round binns?
	You do not follow the chase; --
	How do we see the quails hanging in your court yards?
	O that superior man!
	He would not eat the bread of idleness!

	Large rats! Large rats!
	Do not eat our millet.
	Three years have we had to do with you,
	And you have not been willing to show any regard for us.
	We will leave you,
	And go to that happy land.
	Happy land! Happy land!
	There shall we find our place.
	Large rats! Large rats!
	Do not eat our wheat.
	Three years have we had to do with you,
	And you have not been willing to show any kindness to us.
	We will leave you,
	And go to that happy State.
	Happy State! Happy State!
	There shall we find ourselves right.
	Large rats! Large rats!
	Do not eat our springing grain!
	Three years have we had to do with you,
	And you have not been willing to think of our toil.
	We will leave you,
	And go to those happy borders.
	Happy borders! Happy borders!
	Who will there make us always to groan?


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Published by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003 by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia