Religion

The Sze Wán

by Shi Jing (The Book of Songs) poems c. 1000–600 BC; compilation traditionally ascribed to Confucius

Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part IV, Book I

Religion

O thou, accomplished, great How-tseih,
To thee alone ’twas given
To be, by what we trace to thee,
The correlate of Heaven.

On all who dwell within our land
Grain-food didst thou bestow.
’Tis to thy wonder-working hand
This gracious boon we owe.

God had the wheat and barley meant
To nourish all mankind.
None would have fathomed His intent,
But for thy guiding mind.

Man’s social duties thou didst show
To every tribe and State.
From thee the polished manners flow
That stamp our land “The Great.”

✦ ✦ ✦

Celebrating How-tseih;—an ode appropriate to the border sacrifice, when How-tseih was worshipped as the correlate of God.

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Sze Wán.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/270/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Sze Wán.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/270/.

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