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


II

The I Hsi; narrative. Instructions to the officers of husbandry:—probably like the preceding ode, after a sacrifice to God for a good year.

O yes! the spirit of King Ch‘êng,
  When we inquired of him, drew nigh,
And clearly told us when to bring
  The gifts that now before him lie.
Lead forth your men, with energy
  O’er their own fields to sow the grain, p. 443
Those, in each square of thirty li,
  Ten thousand families can maintain.

Now let the plows turn up the soil,
  The men attending, pair by pair.
The harvest will repay their toil;—
  The bounteous produce all shall share.


Next: III. Chên Lu