Love

Contented Concubines

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

Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part I, Book ii

Love

Starlets dim are yonder peeping, —
In the East are five, and three.
Softly, where our lord is (sleeping),
Soon or late by night go we.
Some have high, some low degree.

Starlets dim are yonder peeping, —
Pleiades, Orion's band.
Softly nightly go we creeping,
Quilt and coverlet in hand.
Some take high, some lower stand.

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Contented Concubines.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/314/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Contented Concubines.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/314/.

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