Living
The Méen Shwuy
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part II, Book III
The waters flow with volumie vast,
Straight to the ocean’s mighty court ;
Swift fly the soaring falcons past,
And to their resting-place resort.
But through the land disorder wends,
And with it none will dare to cope.
Ye kinsmen near, ye honoured friends,
Ye people, why abandon hope ?
Alas that you the struggle shun,
And leave your parents all undone!
Their bed the mighty waters leave,
And ruin spread the country o’er.
The sky on wing the falcons cleave ;—
High and yet higher still they soar.
So is it with the lawless crew,
Whose evil courses know no bound.
I think ofthem, and start to do.
Alas! I go but round and round.
Still in my heart fast dwells its grief;
I vainly strive to find relief.
With volume vast the waters flow,
But still within their channel run.
And swiftly as the falcons go,
The vault that copes the hill they shun.
And can we then no method find
To check the talk that fills the land ?
No means devise to curb or bind
The idle tongue and wanton hand?
Watch, friends, yourselves ; watch reverently,
And slanderous tongues will silent be!
Codex Note
Bewailing the disorder of the times and the general indifference to it, and tracing it to the slanderers encouraged by men in authority.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Méen Shwuy.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/178/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Méen Shwuy.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/178/.
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