Living
The Koh Luy
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part I, Book VI
Around the creepers thickly spread,
On the borders of the Ho.
My native soil no more I tread ;
Into exile forth I go.
Far removed from kindred all,
Father I a stranger call.
Though so called, he does not brook
Kindly upon me to look.
Around the creepers thickly spread,
On the green banks of the Ho.
My native soil no more I tread ;
Into exile forth I go.
Far removed from kindred all,
Mother I a stranger call.
Though so called, she does not deign
Me as child to entertain.”
Around the creepers thickly spread,
On the bank-lips of the Ho.
My native soil no more I tread ;
Into exile forth I go.
Far from all who bear my name,
Elder brother I would claim
In a stranger, but he spurns
Such a claim, and from me turns.
Codex Note
A wanderer from Chow, separated from his kin, mourns over his lot.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Koh Luy.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/68/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Koh Luy.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/68/.
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