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The first birth of [our] people, |
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Was from Jiang Yuan. |
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How did she give birth to [our] people? |
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She had presented a pure offering and sacrificed, |
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That her childlessness might be taken away. |
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She then trod on a toe-print made by God, and was moved, |
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In the large place where she rested. |
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She became pregnant; she dwelt retired; |
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She gave birth to, and nourished [a son], |
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Who was Hou-ji. |
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When she had fulfilled her months, |
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Her first-born son [came forth] like a lamb. |
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There was no bursting, nor rending, |
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No injury, no hurt; -- |
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Showing how wonderful he would be. |
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Did not God give her the comfort? |
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Had He not accepted her pure offering and sacrifice, |
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So that thus easily she brought forth her son? |
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He was placed in a narrow lane, |
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But the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care. |
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He was placed in a wide forest, |
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Where he was met with by the wood-cutters. |
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He was placed on the cold ice, |
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And a bird screened and supported him with its wings. |
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When the bird went away, |
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Hou-ji began to wail. |
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His cry was long and loud, |
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So that his voice filled the whole way. |
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When he was able to crawl, |
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He looked majestic and intelligent. |
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When he was able to feed himself, |
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He fell to planting large beans. |
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The beans grew luxuriantly; |
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His rows of paddy shot up beautifully; |
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His hemp and wheat grew strong and close; |
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His gourds yielded abundantly. |
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The husbandry of Hou-ji, |
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Proceeded on the plan of helping [the growth]. |
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Having cleared away the thick grass, |
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He sowed the ground with the yellow cereals. |
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He managed the living grain, till it was ready to burst; |
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Then he used it as seed, and it sprang up; |
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It grew and came into ear; |
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It became strong and good; |
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It hung down, every grain complete; -- |
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And thus he was appointed lord of Tai. |
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He gave his people the beautiful grains: -- |
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The black millet, and the double-kernelled; |
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The tall red, and the white. |
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They planted extensively the black and the double-kernelled, |
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Which were reaped and stacked on the ground. |
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They planted extensively the tall red and the white, |
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Which were carried on their shoulders and backs, |
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Home for the sacrifices which he founded. |
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And how as to our sacrifices [to him]? |
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Some hull [the grain]; some take it from the mortar; |
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Some sift it; some tread it. |
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It is rattling in the dishes; |
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It is distilled, and the steam floats about. |
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We consult; we observe the rites of purification; |
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We take southernwood and offer it with the fat; |
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We sacrifice a ram to the Spirit of the path; |
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We offer roast flesh and broiled: -- |
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And thus introduce the coming year. |
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We load the stands with the offerings, |
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The stands both of wood and of earthenware. |
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As soon as the fragrance ascends, |
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God, well pleased, smells the sweet savour. |
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Fragrant is it, and in its due season! |
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Hou-ji founded the sacrifice, |
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And no one, we presume, has given occasion for blame or regret in regret to it, |
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Down to the present day. |