History & Politics
The Shoo Le
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part I, Book VI
Where the palaces rose grand,
When Chow nobly ruled the land,
Millets, some with drooping head,
Some, just coming into blade,
All around abundant grew.
Slow the fields I wandered through,
Moved in heart such sight to view.
Friends who knew me understood
What induced my saddened mood.
Those who did not know me said,
There I search for something made.
O thou azure Heaven, remote,
Who this desolation wrought ?
Where the palaces rose grand,
When Chow nobly ruled the land,
Millets, drooping, heavy here,
There just coming into ear,
All around abundant grew.
Slow the fields I wandered through,
Drunk with grief such sights to view.
Friends who knew me understood
What induced my saddened mood.
Those who did not know me said,
“There I search for something made,
O thou azure Heaven, remote,
Who this desolation wrought ?
Where the palaces rose grand,
When Chow nobly ruled the land,
Millets, heavy, drooping low,
Some the bursting grain that show,
All around abundant grew.
Slow the fields I wandered through,
Breath nigh stopt such scene to view.
Friends who knew me understood
What induced my saddened mood,
Those who did not know me said,
There I search for something made.
O thou azure Heaven, remote,
Who this desolation wrought ?
Codex Note
An officer describes his melancholy and reflections on seeing the desolation of the old capital of Chow.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Shoo Le.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/64/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Shoo Le.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/64/.
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