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The Book of Poetry, tr. by James Legge, [1876], at sacred-texts.com


II

The Chiang Chung Tzŭ; narrative. A. lady begs her lover to let her alone, and not excite the suspicions of her parents and others.

1My 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. p. 87

2My 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.

3My 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.


Next: III. Shu Yü T‘ien