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


IV

The Sang-chung; narrative. A. gentleman boasts of his intimacy and intrigues with various noble ladies.

1The gold thread to gather I'm going,
  Where in Wei it spreads over the tree;
But my thoughts forever are flowing
  To the beauty who captive holds me,— p. 52
To the eldest Chiang. Yes, it is she!
  Freely did she agree in Sang-chung,
  She would come to me here in Shang-kung,
And then company keep with me on to the Ch‘i.

2For the wheat about Wei I'm going
  To the north where it grows in each part.
But my thoughts forever are flowing
  To the beauty who rules in my heart,—
To the eldest I. Yes, it is she!
  Freely did she agree in Sang-chung,
  She would come to me here in Shang-kung,
And then company keep with me on to the Ch‘i.

3For the mustard plant I am going
  Where in Wei it grows over the east.
But my thoughts forever are flowing
  To the beauty on whose love I feast,—
To the eldest Yung. Yes, it is she!
  Freely did she agree in Sang-chung,
  She would come to me here in Shang-kung,
And then company keep with me on to the Ch‘i.


Next: V. Shun Chih Pên Pên