|
Great is God, |
|
Beholding this lower world in majesty. |
|
He surveyed the four quarters [of the kingdom], |
|
Seeking for some one to give settlement to the people. |
|
Those two [earlier] dynasties, |
|
Had failed to satisfy Him with their government; |
|
So throughout the various States, |
|
He sought and considered, |
|
For one on which he might confer the rule. |
|
Hating all the great [States], |
|
He turned His kind regards on the west, |
|
And there gave a settlement [to king Da]. |
|
[King Da] raised up and removed, |
|
The dead trunks, and the fallen trees. |
|
He dressed and regulated, |
|
The bushy clumps, and the [tangled] rows. |
|
He opened up and cleared, |
|
The tamarix trees, and the stave-trees. |
|
He hewed and thinned, |
|
The mountain-mulberry trees. |
|
God having brought about the removal thither of this intelligent ruler, |
|
The Guan hordes fled away. |
|
Heaven raised up a helpmeet for him. |
|
And the appointment he had received was made sure. |
|
God surveyed the hills, |
|
Where the oaks and yu were thinned, |
|
And paths made through the firs and cypresses. |
|
God, who had raised the State, raised up a proper ruler for it; -- |
|
From the time of Da-bo and king Ju [this was done]. |
|
Now this king Ju, |
|
In his heart was full of brotherly duty. |
|
Full of duty to his elder brother, |
|
He gave himself the more to promote the prosperity [of the country], |
|
And secured to him the glory [of his act]. |
|
He accepted his dignity, and did not lose it, |
|
And [ere long his family] possessed the whole kingdom. |
|
The king Ju, |
|
Was gifted by God with the power of judgement, |
|
So that the fame of his virtue silently grew. |
|
His virtue was highly intelligent; -- |
|
Highly intelligent and of rare discrimination; |
|
Able to lead, able to rule, -- |
|
To rule over this great country; |
|
Rendering a cordial submission, effecting a cordial union. |
|
When [the sway] came to king Wen, |
|
His virtue left nothing to be dissatisfied with. |
|
He received the blessing of God, |
|
And it was extended to his descendants. |
|
God said to king Wen, |
|
' Be not like those who reject this and cling to that; |
|
Be not like those who are ruled by their likings and desires; ' |
|
So he grandly ascended before others to the height [of virtue]. |
|
The people of Mi were disobedient, |
|
Daring to oppose our great country, |
|
And invaded Yuan, marching to Gung. |
|
The king rose majestic in his wrath; |
|
He marshalled his troops, |
|
To stop the invading foes; |
|
To consolidate the prosperity of Zhou; |
|
To meet [the expectations of ] all under heaven. |
|
He remained quietly in the capital; |
|
But [his troops] went on from the borders of Yuan. |
|
They ascended our lofty ridges, |
|
And [the enemy] arrayed no forces on our hills, |
|
On our hills, small or large, |
|
Nor drank at our springs, |
|
Our springs or our pools. |
|
He then determined the finest of the plains, |
|
And settled on the south of Ju, |
|
On the side of the Wei; |
|
The centre of all the States, |
|
The resort of the lower people. |
|
God said to king Wen, |
|
'I am pleased with your intelligent virtue, |
|
Not loudly proclaimed nor pourtrayed, |
|
Without extravagance or changeableness, |
|
Without consciousness of effort on your part, |
|
In accordance with the pattern of God. ' |
|
God said to king Wen, |
|
' Take measures against the country of your foes. |
|
Along with your brethren, |
|
Get ready your scaling ladders, |
|
And yoru engines of onfall and assault, |
|
To attack the walls of Chong. ' |
|
The engines of onfall and assault were gently plied, |
|
Against the walls of Chong high and great; |
|
Captives for the question were brought in one after another; |
|
' The left ears [of the slain] were taken leisurely. |
|
He sacrificed to God, and to the Father of War, |
|
Thus seeking to induce submission; |
|
And throughout the kingdom none dared to insult him. |
|
The engines of onfall and assault were vigorously plied, |
|
Against the walls of Chong very strong; |
|
He attacked it, and let loose all his forces; |
|
He extinguished [its sacrifices], and made an end of its existence; |
|
And throughout the kingdom none dared to oppose him.' |