Love
The Tséang Chung-Tsze
Translated by James Legge (1876) · From The She King (1876), Part I, Book VII
My worthy Chung, I pray,
Do not in such a way
Into my hamlet bound,
My willow trees to wound.
For them I do not care,
But you my parents scare.
’Tis their words I fear.
You, Chung, have my heart ;
But their words severe
Will cause me to smart.
My worthy Chung, I pray,
Do not in such a way
Come leaping o’er my wall,
And make the branches fall
From my mulberry tree.
That does not trouble me,
But my brothers all see.
Tis their words I fear.
You, Chung, have my heart ;
But their words severe
Will cause me to smart.
My worthy Chung, I pray,
Do not in such a way
Into my garden jump,
My sandal trees to thump.
For them I do not care,
But people grow aware
What ’tis that brings you there.
’Tis their words I fear.
You, Chung, have my heart ;
But their words severe
Will cause me to smart.
Codex Note
A lady begs her lover to let her alone, and not excite the suspicions of her parents and others.
Cite this poem
MLA
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Tséang Chung-Tsze.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/73/.
Chicago
Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Tséang Chung-Tsze.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/73/.
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