THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

328 THE BOOK OF POETEY. [PAET III.
When good men, sons of peace, bear sway,
They smooth and knit the social state.
They are not here ;—who paved the way
For those through whom come strife and hate ?
4 Sore anguish dwells within my heart;
I brood upon the country's woes.
•Why was I born to have my part
Now when great Heaven its anger shows ?
Throughout our coasts, from east to west,
No quiet resting-place is found.
I wander, desolate, distressed,
And troubles rave our borders round.
5 You plan, O king, and caution use ?
Lo! growing ills, dismembered land !
Your great concern should be to choose
The best, around your throne to stand.
Be this your way ! What burns and glows,
Ere used, you in the water cool.
How can your methods bring repose ?
Euin awaits you, and your rule.
6 One struggles on against the wind,
With breathless effort,—all in vain.
So they who fain would serve thee find
A baffling force, and little gain.
They till the fields who might have shone
High in official rank and power;
For now, ambition's impulse gone,
They sow and reap, and seek no more.
7 Heaven thus inflicts death and unrest;
And lo ! we see a kingless throne !
And still there comes the insect pest,
And farmers' hopes are overthrown.
Woe ! woe to our great central land !
For all in peril heaves my sigh.
Bereft of strength, I sadly stand,
And silent view the vault on high.
8 See here a ruler, firm and good,
Whom chiefs and people all revere !
K III. III.] THE BOOK OF POETET.
He keeps his heart; his plans are shrewd;
He seeks for helpers far and near.
See there one of a different kind,
Who thinks none but himself is wise!
Within his narrow range confined,
His actions only cause surprise.
9 Lo I 'mongst the trees, the herds of deer
In concord roam throughout the wood.
With us all friends are insincere ;
None cultivate the faithful mood.
" Advance ! Retreat! " thus people say;
" There's equal danger either way."
10 Here is a sage ! His views and speech
Go far beyond the present time.
There is a fool! With narrow reach,
His smallest thoughts he counts sublime.
All this before I could have told.
Oh ! why did fear my tongue withhold ?
11 The good man see ! His way is barred;
He pines unused, or dwells unsought.
See now the man whose heart is hard !
He's courted, and to honour brought.
Such government disorder breeds;
The people haste to evil deeds.
12 From the large valleys come the winds;
There they collect, and thence they blow.
And thus the virtuous man one finds
Doing what's good;—he must act so.
But he, whose nature scorns the right,
His nature vile, 'gainst good will fight.
13 By force of nature blows the wind;
So men of greed will strive for pelf.
Would he but hear, I'd speak my mind;—
As drunk, I mutter to myself.
He will not use the good; and I
Deplore his course with moan and sigh.
329