The Ta Ming

Majestic Heaven from kings below,
That they illustrious virtue show,
With strictest law requires.
They must not on its grace rely,
Nor think that they can change defy.
The House of Yin long ruled the land,
Called to the throne by Heaven’s command.
But its last monarch, from it driven,
Lost by supreme decree of Heaven
The kingdom of his sires,
What time in Chow ruled our king Ke,
Among the princesses of Che,
In the domain of Yin,
The second daughter of her name
Had through the land a noble fame.
Her from her parents Ke had sought,
And to his capital he brought,
And wedded her, Tae-jin.
They both could perfect virtue claim,
No duty left undone.
A mother soon the wife became ;
The child was our king Wan.
This our king Wan in all his way
Did watchful reverence display,
With clearest wisdom serving God,
Who, pleased to see the course he trod,
Him with great favour crowned.
His virtue no deflection knew,
But always to the right was true.
The States beheld, and all approved ;
With loyal ardour stirred and moved,
Wan as their Head they owned.
Throughout the land Heaven sent its glance ;
Whom should it to the throne advance ?
To Wan came the decree.
While he was still in early years,
By Heaven’s arranging there appears
She who his bride should be.
North of the Heah, on Wei, she shone,
The child of a great House.
Then Wan, to years of manhood grown,
Tendered to her his vows.
Like a fair denizen of Heaven
Was she to whom those vows were given.
The gifts he sent were deemed complete,
And to the Wei, his bride to meet,
Our Wan in person went.
A bridge of boats across the stream
He made, as did her state beseem.
She crossed ; to Chow they held their way.
Great was the glory of the day,
And glorious the event !
Heaven thus its grand appointment made,
And Wan to all the land displayed,
While still he ruled in Fung.
Sin’s eldest daughter was the wife,
Whom Heaven prepared to bless his life,
And take his virtuous mother’s place.
And Heaven soon gave them further grace;
?T was from them king Woo sprung.
Heaven kept and helped the child, until
Its summons to him came.
Then Woo marched forth to do its will,
Smote Yin, and won his fame.
Countless as forest leaves, Yin’s hosts,
Collected from its utmost coasts,
Were marshalled in Muh’s famous plain,
To meet king Woo ;—but all in vain.
Chow to the crisis rose.
Woo viewed their multitudes with fear,
But Shang-foo’s words soon gave him cheer :—
“With you is God ; your doubts dispel.
With Him as helper, we shall quell
The pride of all our foes.”
Vast was the plain. Each sandal car,
That brightly shone amidst the war,
Dashed rapidly along,
Each team of steeds, black-maned and bay,
Against all obstacles made way.
Like mighty eagle on the wing, ‘
Shang-foo was ever near the king,
Whose heart was thus made strong.
At the first charge Yin’s troops gave way,
And took to shameful flight.
That morn a long and brilliant day
Displaced the previous night.