History & Politics
Old Officials left in the Cold
Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part I, Book xi
History & Politics
Alas for us!
Fine houses first and all on liberal scale;—
Now, each meal o'er, remains naught more!
Ah, welladay!
So to begin and afterwards to fail!
Alas for us!
Four platters once at meals for every man;
And now each feeds within his needs!
'Ah, welladay!
Not to go on as we at first began!
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Old Officials left in the Cold.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/390/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Old Officials left in the Cold.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/390/.
Read this poem with the Codex →