China Guide

狼疐其尾、載跋其胡。
公孫碩膚、德音不瑕。

The wolf springs forward on his dewlap ,
Or trips back on his tail .
The duke was humble , and greatly admirable ,
Self-composed in his red slippers .

The wolf springs forward on his dewlap ,
Or trips back on his tail .
The duke was humble , and greatly admirable ,

鴻飛遵渚、公歸無所、於女信處。

鴻飛遵陸、公歸不復、於女信宿。

是以有袞衣兮、無以我公歸兮、無使我心悲兮。

In the net with its nine bags ,
Are rud and bream .
We see this prince ,
With his grand-ducal robe and embroidered skirt .

The wild geese fly [only] about the islets .

伐柯伐柯、其則不遠。
我覯之子、籩豆有踐。

In hewing [the wood for] an axe-handle , how do you proceed ?
Without [another] axe it cannot be done .
In taking a wife , how do you proceed ?
Without a go-between it cannot be done .

In hewing an axe-handle , in hewing an axe-handle ,

既破我斧、又缺我錡。
周公東征、四國是吪。
哀我人斯、亦孔之嘉。

既破我斧、又缺我銶。
周公東征、四國是遒。
哀我人斯、亦孔之休。

We broke our axes ,
And we splintered our hatchets ;
But the object of the duke of Zhou , in marching to the east ,
Was to put the four States to rights .
His compassion for us people ,
Is very great .

我徂東山、慆慆不歸。
我來自東、零雨其濛。
果臝之實、亦施于宇。
伊威在室、蠨蛸在戶。
町曈鹿場、熠燿宵行。
不可畏也、伊可懷也。

我徂東山、慆慆不歸。
我來自東、零雨其濛。
鸛鳴于垤、婦歎于室。
洒掃穹窒、我征聿至。
有敦瓜苦、烝在栗薪。
自我不見、于今三年。

我徂東山、慆慆不歸。

迨天之未陰雨、徹彼桑土、綢繆牖戶。
今女下民、或敢侮予。

予手拮据、予所捋荼、予所蓄租、予口卒瘏、曰予未有室家。

予羽譙譙、予尾翛翛、予室翹翹、風雨所漂搖、予維音嘵嘵。

O owl , O owl ,
You have taken my young ones ; --
Do not [also] destroy my nest .
With love and with toil ,
I nourished them . -- I am to be pitied .