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


VIII. Scoticè

The Nü Yüeh Chi Ming; narrative. A pleasant picture of domestic life. A wife sends her husband from her side to his hunting, expresses her affection, and encourages him to cultivate virtuous friendships.

1Says oor gudewife, "The cock is crawin’."
Quoth oor gudeman, "The day is dawin’."
"Get up, gudeman, an’ tak a spy;
See gin the mornin’ star be high,
Syne tak a saunter roon’ aboot;
There’s rowth o’ dyukes and geese to shoot.

2"Lat flee, and bring them hame to me,
An’ sic a dish as ye sail pree.
In comin’ times as ower the strings
Your noddin’ heed in rapture hings,
Supreme ower care, nor fasht wi’ fears,
We’ll baith grow auld in worth and years, p. 94

3"An’ when we meet the friends ye like,
I’ll gie to each some little fyke;—
The lasses beads, trocks to their brithers,
An’ auld-warld fairlies to their mithers.
Some knickknack lovin’ hands will fin’
To show the love that dwalls within.


Next: IX. Yu Nü T‘ung Ch‘ê