Love

A Conceited Lordling

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 v

Love

O the sparrow-gourd its pod (would show)!
At the stripling's girdle a bodkin see!
The bodkin may at his girdle be,
Yet of us can the stripling nothing know.
What calm conceit, what a swaggering air!
With ends of his girdle dangling there!

O the sparrow-gourd is now in leaf!
At the stripling's waist is an archer's ring!
Let him wear at his waist the archer's ring,
Over us can a stripling ne'er be chief.
What calm conceit, what a swaggering air!
With ends of his girdle dangling there!

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “A Conceited Lordling.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/340/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “A Conceited Lordling.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/340/.

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