Religion

The Yung

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

The helping princes stand around,
With, reverent air, in concord fine.
The king, Heaven’s son, with looks profound,
Thus prays before his father’s shrine :—

“This noble bull I bring to thee,
And these assist me in the rite.
Father, august and great, on me,
Thy filial son, pour down thy light!
“All-sagely didst thou play the man,
Alike in peace and war a king.
Heaven rested in thee, O great Wan,
Who to thy sons still good dost bring.

“The eye-brows of long life to me,
Great source of comfort, thou hast given.
Thou mak’st me great, for ’tis through thee
Come all the other gifts of Heaven.

“O thou, my meritorious sire,
And thou in whose fond breast I lay,
With power and grace your son inspire
His reverent sacrifice to pay.”

✦ ✦ ✦

Appropriate at a sacrifice by king Woo to his father Wan.

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Yung.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/277/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Yung.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/277/.

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