Love
The Pih He
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part I, Book V
How martial looks my noble man,
The hero of the land!
See him in chariot lead the van,
His halberd in his hand !
Since eastward on his course he sped,
My hair neglected flies.
I might anoint and wash my head,
But not to meet jis eyes.
For rain, for rain, the people cry,
But brightly shines the sun ;
So for my absent lord long I,
Head pained, and heart undone.
Where shall I lethe’s lily find,
Behind my house to set ?
I think of him with aching mind,
For how can I forget ?
Codex Note
A wife mourns over the protracted absence of her husband on the king’s service.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Pih He.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/61/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Pih He.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/61/.
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