History & Politics
The Méen Man
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part II, Book VIII
‘Twitters fast the oriole,
Where yonder bends the mound.
The happy little creature
Its resting place has found.
So have not I. The journey’s length
And weary toil o’ertask my strength.
Give me to eat; give me to drink ;
And teach my mind the way to think.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare
Along the route myself to bear.
Twitters fast the oriole,
Where shows its edge the mound :
The happy little creature
Its resting place has found.
So have not I. I dare not shrink
From the long way, but trembling think,
Unable to hold on, I’ll sink.
Give me to drink ; and give me food ;
And teach my mind the thing that’s good.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare
Along the route myself to bear.
Twitters fast the oriole,
Where spreads its side the mound.
The happy little creature
Its resting place has found.
So have not I. I dare not shrink
From the long way, but trembling think,
Before we reach the end, I’ll sink.
Give me to drink; to food invite ;
And tell my mind the thing that’s right.
Then bid a baggage cart prepare
Along the route myself to bear.
Codex Note
Some inferior complains of his toil in an expedition, and of the neglect with which he.WAS treated by his superiors.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Méen Man.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/225/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Méen Man.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/225/.
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