尚益稷

    敕天之命。惟惟。

    股肱喜哉。元首起哉。百工熙哉。

    Akindof"StateoftheUnion"addresswhichdescribeshoweverythingisgoingwell——

    嗥陶歌

    尚益稷

    元首明哉。股肱良哉。庶事康哉。

    元首脞哉。股肱惰哉。事哉。

    Iftheheadofthestateisexemplaryandhisofficialsarecompetent,allthingswillgowell.Iftheheadofthestatewillworryaboutminutedetails,hisofficialswillbelazy,andallthingswillgobad——

    卿歌

    尚大

    卿兮。兮。日月光。旦旦兮。

    Wecelebratethebrightcloudsthataregatheringandareyieldingapeacefulatmosphere.Weenjoythebrightnessofsunandmoonlightdayafterday——

    八伯歌

    尚大

    明明上天。然星辰。日月光。宏于一人。Theskyandthestarsarebothbright.Thebrightnessofthesunlightandmoonlightisincreasedbyoneperson——

    帝歌

    尚大

    日月有常。星辰有行。四。姓允。於予。配天之。于善。莫不咸。乎鼓之。乎舞之。

    菁已竭。褰裳去之。

    Asongsungbytheemperorinwhichitsaysthateverythingisgoingwellinthenation——

    夏人歌

    尚大

    盍乎薄。盍乎薄。薄亦大矣。

    WhydowenotgobacktoBuo?Itisabigplace,isitnot?——

    伊尹歌

    尚大

    兮兮。吾大命假兮。去不善而就善何兮。

    Iamsomeonewhotellspropheciesandisdecent.Jie’s(thetyrantofthetime)lifehascometoanend.Leavingthebadtoservethegood,isitnotjoyful?——

    秀歌

    尚大

    秀兮。黍禾。彼狡童兮。不我好仇。

    Thewheatsproutsarecomingupandthecornleaveslookshiny.Thatslyboy(referringtooneking)willnotbeongoodtermswithme——

    引俚荷

    毛草木虫疏

    苦如薏。Itisasbitterastheheartofalotusseed——

    引里檀

    毛草木虫疏

    斫檀不。得迷。迷尚可。得。Trytocutdownsandalwoodtreeandnotgetit,andgetXiMi(nameofplant)instead.ItisbearabletogetXiMiandyetwegetBuoMa(nameofplant)instead——

    引人迷

    毛草木虫疏

    上山斫檀。挈先。Whenwegoupthemountaintologsandalwoodtrees,weseethatQiHe(nameofplant,sameasXiMi)runsoutfirst——

    引上人

    毛草木虫疏

    灶下自有土。山中自有。

    Naturally,thereisyellowdirtunderneaththehearth.AndnaturallythereareHutreesupinthemountain——

    引俗棠

    毛草木虫疏

    如杜。

    ItisasbitterasDu(nameoffruit)——

    引林山下人

    毛草木虫疏

    四足之美有。足之美有。

    Amongthefour-leggedanimalsthataredelectable,therearePaos.Amongthetwo-legged,thereareQiaos——

    引里

    毛草木虫疏

    栗留。看我葚熟。

    HuangLiLiu(nameoffowl)comesoutwhenourwheatfieldturnsgoldenandmulberriesripen——

    引俗桃虫

    毛草木虫疏

    生雕。

    JiaoLiao(nameofbird,asisTaoChong)givesbirthtoDiao(nameofbird)——

    引

    毛草木虫疏

    居就。梁水。

    Ordinarydayswehavegrains,yetatLiangRiver,therearetastyfishsuchasFang——

    引里

    毛草木虫疏

    得。不如茹。

    Whenonefisheswithanet,ifonegetsXu(nameoffish),onewillbebetteroffeatingvegetablethanthatkindoffish——

    引里蟋蟀

    毛草木虫疏……

    QuZhi(othernameforcrickets)callsandlazyhousewives(lanfuliterally,yetlanfuisalsonameforcrickets)getshocked(asthoughthecallsofcricketsistellingtheselazywomentodothings)——

    孔子述河上人歌

    兮兮。逆毛衰兮。一身九尾兮。

    ThebirdCangGuahasninetailsandfeathersthatcurlinwards——

    夏桀群臣歌二

    外

    江水沛兮。舟楫兮。我王兮。趣於毫。毫亦大矣。兮兮。四牡兮。六沃兮。去不善而善。何不兮。

    AsongsungbyagroupofcivilservantsservinginthecourtofJie.Itdescribeshowhappytheyaretobeleavingthattyrant——

    引鄙二

    外

    不知吏。已成事。

    前覆而后不。

    Ifonedoesnotknowhowtobeagovernmentofficial,oneshouldtrytoseewhathasbeendonepreviously.Acarturnsupsidedownandthecarsbehinddonotheedtheincidentasawarning——

    孔子歌

    山十里。蟪蛄之。尚在耳。WeareawayfromthemountainforabouttenLis(Li=unitofdistance),ThesoundofCongGu(nameofinsect,maybedragonflies)canstillbeheard——

    雒

    剡者配姬以放。山崩水小人。家伯罔主哉震。

    Asongdescribinghowtakingbeautifulwomenasmistressescanchaseawaythegoodadvisors,justlikealandslideandfloodingcangivebadpeopleopportunityformischief——

    曳杖歌

    檀弓

    泰山其乎梁木其乎哲人其萎乎

    ThesacredmountainTaiisfalling,agreattreeisfallingandasaintisdying——

    登木歌

    檀弓

    首之斑然。女手之卷然。

    Theheadofacatisspotted.Thewoman’shandsaremadeintoafist——

    成人歌

    檀弓

    而蟹有匡。范冠而有。兄死而子皋之衰。

    Asongdescribinghowthingsdonothappenwithouttheassistanceofothers——

    子思引南人言

    衣

    人而。不可以卜筮。Nothingissettledpermanentlyaboutaperson;itisalsonotagoodideatoresorttotossingcoins——

    者引

    大

    人莫知其子之。莫知其苗之。

    Peopledonotknowhowbadtheirownchildrenareanddonotknowhowwelltheircropsaregrowing——

    康成引俗

    曲上

    疾。

    Itishardforadoctortotreatadiseasethatisnotexposedontheskinsurfaceandiscoveredunderclothing.