In Deed (The Book Of Songs 127)

MINISTER of War,

We are the king’s claw and fangs.

Why should you roll us on from misery to

       misery,

Giving us no place to stop or take rest?

 

Minster of War,

We are the king’s claw and teeth.

Why should you roll us from misery to

       misery,

Giving us no place to come and stay?

   

Minster of War,

You are not wise.

Why should you roll us from misery to

       misery,

We have mothers who lack food.

From The Book Of Songs, Translation from the Chinese by Arthur Waley, New York, Grove Press, 1960.

Indeed I am afraid (Book Of Songs)

24. 

I BEG of you Chung Tzu,

Do not climb into our homestead,

Do not break the willows we have planted.

Not that I mind about the willows,

But I am afraid of my father and mother.

Chung Tzu I dearly love;

But what of what my father and mother say

Indeed I am afraid.

I beg of you Chung Tzu,

Do not climb over our wall,

Do not break the mulberry trees we have

      planted.

Not that I mind about the mulberry-trees,

But I am afraid of my brothers.

Chung-Tzu I dearly love;

But what of what my brothers say

Indeed I am afraid.

 

I beg of you Chung-Tzu,

Do not climb into our garden,

Do not break the hard-wood we have 

     planted.

Not that I mind about the hard-wood,

But I am afraid of what people will say.

Chung-Tzu I dearly love;

But of all that people will say

Indeed I am afraid.

Kevin Ayers -- When Your Parents Go To Sleep (Link)

A Lady of Ch'i Goes To Be Married

85.  


IN the wicker fish-trap by the bridge
Are fish, both bream and roach
A lady of Ch’i goes to be married;
Her escort is like a trail of clouds.

In the wicker fish-trap by the bridge
Are fish, both bream and tench.
A lady of Ch’i goes to be married;
Her escort is as thick as rain.

In the wicker fish-trap by the bridge
The fish glide free
A lady of Ch’i goes to be married
Her escort is like a river.




 

 
From: The Book of Songs (translated from the Chinese by Arthur Waley), New York, Grove Press, 1960.