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The illustration of illustrious [virtue] is required below, |
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And the dread majesty is on high. |
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Heaven is not readily to be relied on; |
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It is not easy to be king. |
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Yin's rightful heir to the heavenly seat, |
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Was not permitted to possess the kingdom. |
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Jin, the second of the princesses of Zhi, |
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From [the domain of] Yin-shang, |
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Came to be married to the prince of Zhou, |
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And because his wife in his capital, |
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Both she and king Ji, |
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Were entirely virtuous. |
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[Then] Da-ren became pregnant, |
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And gave birth to our king Wen. |
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This king Wen, |
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Watchfully and reverently, |
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With entire intelligence served God, |
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And so secured the great blessing. |
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His virtue was without deflection; |
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And in consequence he received [the allegiance of] the States from all quarters. |
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Heaven surveyed this lower world; |
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And its appointment lighted [on king Wen]. |
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In his early years, |
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It made for him a mate; -- |
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On the north of the Qia; |
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On the banks of the Wei. |
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When king Wen would wive, |
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There was the lady in a large State. |
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In a large State was the lady, |
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Like a fair denizen of Heaven. |
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The ceremonies determined the auspiciousness [of the union]. |
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And in person he met her on the Wei. |
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Over it he made a bridge of boats; -- |
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The glory [of the occasion] was illustrious. |
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The favouring appointment was from Heaven, |
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Giving the throne to our king Wen, |
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In the capital of Zhou. |
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The lady-successor was from Xin, |
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Its eldest daughter, who came to marry him. |
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She was blessed to give birth to king Wu, |
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Who was preserved, and helped, and received also the appointment, |
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And in accordance with it smote the great Shang. |
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The troops of Yin-shang, |
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Were collected like a forest, |
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And marshalled in the wilderness of Mu. |
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We rose [to the crisis]; -- |
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'God is with you, ' [said Shang-fu to the king], |
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'Have no doubts in your heart. ' |
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The wilderness of Mu spread out extensive; |
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Bright shone the chariots of sandal; |
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The teams of bays, black-maned and white-bellied, galloped along; |
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The grand-master Shang-fu, |
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Was like an eagle on the wing, |
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Assisting king Wu, |
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Who at one onset smote the great Shang. |
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That morning's encounter was followed by a clear bright [day]. |