Living
Contentedness
Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part I, Book xii
Below my rude and crazy door,
'Tis mine to lounge at leisure,
And while my purling fountain flows
To bear my wants with pleasure.
And needs one, for a meal of fish,
A bream from out the Ho, then?
And needs one, if a wife he wish,
For a Kiang of Ts'i to go, then?
Or needs he, for a meal of fish,
A carp from those same waters?
Or, for a wife, to take a Tse, —
One of the Sung's proud daughters?
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Contentedness.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/392/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “Contentedness.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/392/.
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