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There was the millet with its drooping heads; |
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There was the sacrificial millet into blade. |
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Slowly I moved about, |
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In my heart all-agitated. |
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Those who knew me, |
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Said I was sad at heart. |
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Those who did not know me, |
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Said I was seeking for something. |
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O distant and azure Heaven! |
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By what man was this [brought about]? |
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There was the millet with its drooping heads; |
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There was the sacrificial millet in the ear. |
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Slowly I moved about, |
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My heart intoxicated, as it were, [with grief]. |
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Those who knew me, |
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Said I was sad at heart. |
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Those who did not know me, |
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Said I was seeking for something. |
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O thou distant and azure Heaven! |
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By what man was this [brought about]? |
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There was the millet with its drooping heads; |
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There was the sacrificial millet in grain. |
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Slowly I moved about, |
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As if there were a stoppage at my heart. |
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Those who knew me, |
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Said I was sad at heart. |
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Those who did not know me, |
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Said I was seeking for something. |
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O thou distant and azure Heaven! |
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By what man was this [brought about]? |
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My husband is away on service, |
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And I know not when he will return. |
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Where is he now? |
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The fowls roost in their holes in the walls; |
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And in the evening of the day, |
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The goats and cows come down [from the hill]; |
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But my husband is away on service. |
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How can I but keep thinking of him? |
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My husband is away on service, |
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Not for days [merely] or for months. |
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When will he come back to me? |
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The fowls roost on their perches; |
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And in the evening of the day, |
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The goats and cows come down down and home; |
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But my husband is away on service. |
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Oh if he be but kept from hunger and thirst! |
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The fretted waters, |
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Do not carry on their current a bundle of firewood! |
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Those, the members of our families, |
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Are not with us here guarding Shen. |
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How we think of them! How we think of them! |
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What month shall we return home? |
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The fretted waters, |
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Do not carry on their current a bundle of thorns! |
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Those, the members of our families, |
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Are not with us here guarding Pu. |
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How we think of them! How we think of them! |
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What month shall we return? |
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The fretted waters, |
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Do not carry on their current a bundle of osiers! |
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Those, the members of our families, |
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Are not with us here guarding Xu. |
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How we think of them! How we think of them! |
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What month shall we return? |
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In the valleys grows the mother-wort, |
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But scorched is it in the drier places. |
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There is a woman forced to leave her husband; |
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Sadly she sighs! |
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Sadly she sighs! |
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She suffers from his hard lot. |
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In the valleys grows the mother-wort, |
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But scorched is it where it had become long. |
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There is a woman forced to leave her husband; |
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Long-drawn are her groanings! |
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Long-drawn are her groanings! |
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She suffers from his misfortune. |
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In the valleys grows the mother-wort, |
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But scorched is it even in the moist places. |
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There is a woman forced to leave her husband; |
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Ever flow her tears! |
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Ever flow her tears! |
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But of what avail is her lament? |
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The hare is slow and cautious; |
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The pheasant plumps into the net. |
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In the early part of my life, |
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Time still passed without commotion. |
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In the subsequent part of it, |
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We are meeting with all these evils. |
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I wish I might sleep and never move more. |
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The hare is slow and cautious; |
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The pheasant plumps into the snare. |
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In the early part of my life, |
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Time still passed without anything stirring. |
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In the subsequent part of it, |
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We are meeting with all these sorrows. |
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I wish I might sleep and never move more. |
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The hare is slow and cautious; |
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The pheasant plumps into the trap. |
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In the early part of my life, |
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Time still passed without any call for our services. |
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In the subsequent part of it, |
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We are meeting with all these miseries. |
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I would that I might sleep, and hear of nothing more. |
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Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers, |
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On the borders of the He. |
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For ever separated from my brothers, |
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I call a stranger father. |
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I call a stranger father, |
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But he will not look at me. |
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Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers, |
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On the banks of the He. |
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For ever separated from my brothers, |
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I call a stranger mother. |
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I call a stranger mother, |
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But she will not recognize me. |
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Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers, |
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On the lips of the He. |
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For ever separated from my brothers, |
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I call a stranger elder-brother. |
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I call a stranger elder-brother, |
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But he will not listen to me. |
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His great carriage rumbles along, |
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And his robes of rank glitter like the young sedge. |
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Do I not think of you? |
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But I am afraid of this officer, and dare not. |
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His great carriage moves heavily and slowly, |
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And his robes of rank glitter like a carnation-gem. |
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Do I not think of you? |
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But I am afraid of this officer, and do not rush to you. |
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While living, we may have to occupy different apartments; |
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But when dead, we shall share the same grave. |
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If you say that I am not sincere, |
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By the bright sun I swear that I am. |
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On the mound where is the hemp, |
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Some one is detaining Zijie. |
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Some one is there detaining Zijie; -- |
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Would that he would come jauntily [to me]! |
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On the mound where is the wheat, |
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Some one is detaining Ziguo. |
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Some one is there detaining Ziguo; -- |
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Would that he would come and eat with me! |
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On the mound where are the plum trees, |
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Some one is detaining those youths. |
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Some one is there detaining those youths; -- |
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They will give me Jiu-stones for my girdle. |