t e t ra s y l l a biC Sh i P oe t ry : The B o ok of P oeT ry 31
The ancient honorable Dan Fu, 古公亶父 (gŭ gōng dăn fŭ)
8 On the next morning drove his horses. 來朝走馬 (lái zhāo zŏu mă)
Leading them west along the banks of the river, 率西水滸 (shuài xī shuĭ hŭ)
10 He reached the foot of Mount Qi. 至于岐下 (zhì yú qí xià)
Then with the woman Jiang 爰及姜女 (yuán jí jiāng nǚ)
12 He came himself to look for places to dwell. 聿來胥宇 (yù lái xù yŭ)
The plain of Zhou was so fertile 周原膴膴 (zhōu yuán wŭ wŭ)
14 Even bitter celery was like honey. 堇荼如飴 ( jĭn tú rú yí)
Then he began, then he divined, 爰始爰謀 (yuán shĭ yuán móu)
16 Then he notched our tortoises. 爰契我龜 (yuán qì wŏ guī)
They read “stay,” they read “it’s time.” 曰止曰時 (yuē zhĭ yuē shí )
18 So he built homes there. 築室于茲 (zhù shì yú zī)
And so he was content, and so he stayed. 迺慰迺止 (năi wèi năi zhĭ )
20 And so he created a left, and so he made a right. 迺左迺右 (năi zuŏ năi yòu)
And so he set boundaries, and so he made territories. 迺疆迺理 (năi jiāng năi lĭ )
22 And so he dredged gullies, and so ordered the fields; 迺宣迺畝 (năi xuān năi mŭ)
From the west to the east 自西徂東 (zì xī cú dōng)
24 Everywhere he then took charge of affairs. 周爰執事 (zhōu yuán zhí shì)
The he summoned a Master of Construction; 乃召司空 (năi zhāo sī kōng)
26 Then he summoned a Master of Labor. 乃召司徒 (năi zhāo sī tú)
So that they could erect houses and homes. 俾立室家 (bì lì shì jiā)
28 Their plumb lines ruled straight, 其繩則直 (qí shéng zé zhí )
They lashed together planks as earthen molds, 縮版以載 (suō băn yĭ zăi)
30 To build an ancestral temple, reverent and respectful. 作廟翼翼 (zuò miào yì yì)
Carrying the earth in crowds and multitudes, 捄之陾陾 ( jiū zhī réng réng)
32 Throwing it into molds with clamors and shouts; 度之薨薨 (duó zhī hōng hōng)
Raising walls with a pounding beat, 築之登登 (zhù zhī dēng dēng)
34 Smoothing them with a scraping sound. 削履馮馮 (xuē lóu ping píng)
One hundred walls rose up together— 百堵皆興 (băi dŭ jiē xīng)
36 The beating of the work drums could not keep up! 鼛鼓弗勝 (gāo gŭ fú shèng)
So he created the outer gate soaring, 迺立皋門 (năi lì gāo mén)
38 Soaring the gate so high. 皋門有伉 (gāo mén yŏu kàng)
So he erected the palace gate, 迺立應門 (năi lì yìng mén)
40 The palace gate so grand. 應門將將 (yìng mén qiāng qiāng)
So he erected a great earthen shrine, 迺立冢土 (năi lì zhŏng shè)
42 Whereby to parade the Rong captives (in defeat). 戎醜攸行 (róng chŏu yōu xíng)
Tho’ over time he could not stop the enemy’s wrath, 肆不殄厥慍 (sì bù tiăn jué yùn)
44 Still they did no harm to our reputation. 亦不隕厥問 (yì bù sŭn jué wèn)
He thinned the oaks, 柞棫拔矣 (zuò yù bá yĭ )
46 He cleared the roads, 行道兌矣 (xíng dào duì yĭ )