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The Book of Poetry, tr. by James Legge, [1876], at sacred-texts.com


p. 13

III

The Ts‘ao Ch‘ung; narrative. The wife of some great officer bewails his absence on duty, and longs for the joy of his return.

1Shrill chirp the insects in the grass;
  All about the hoppers spring.
While I my husband do not see,
  Sorrow must my bosom wring.
    O to meet him!
    O to greet him!
Then my heart would rest and sing.

2Ascending high that southern hill,
  Turtle ferns I strove to get.
While I my husband do not see,
  Sorrow must my heart beset.
    O to meet him!
    O to greet him!
Then my heart would cease to fret.

3Ascending high that southern hill,
  Spinous ferns I sought to find.
While I my husband do not see,
  Rankles sorrow in my mind.
    O to meet him!
    O to greet him!
Then my heart would peace be shrined.


Next: IV. Ts‘ai Pin