THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

80
THE BOOK OF POETKY.
IV.
[PAKT I.
The JlJi yueh ; narrative. CHWANG KE.ANG COMPLAINS or, AND AP
PEALS AGAINST, THE BAD TREATMENT WHICH SHE RECEIVED FBOM
HER HUSBAND.
See the introductory notes to the two last pieces.
1 O sun so bright, O moon so fair,
This lower earth that light,
Behold this man, so bold to dare
Transgress the ancient right.
How shall he fix his restless mind ?
Would he not then to me be kind ?
2 O sun, O moon, whose shining vault
O'erspreads this earth below,
Behold this man, with wilful fault,
Kindness refuse to show.
His restless mind how shall he turn ?
He could not then my fondness spurn.
3 O sun, O moon, in upper sphere,
That from the east come forth,
This man speaks phrases sounding fair,
But all of little worth.
Were but his mind to goodness set,
He could not me so much forget.
4 O sun so bright, 0 moon so fair,
That from the east forth come;
O parents dear, whose tender care
Ne'er comes in this uew home;
If fixed his mind, 'gainst reason sage
He could not thus my heart outrage.
V.
The Chungfung ; metaphorical-allusive. CHWANG KEANG BEMOANS
THE SUPERCILIOUS TREATMENT WHICH SHE BECEIVED FROM HEB HUS
BAND.
1 Fierce is the wind and cold;
And such is he.
Smiling he looks, and bold
Speaks mockingly.
BK III. VI.] THE BOOK OP POETEY. 81
Scornful and lewd his words,
Haughty his smile.
Bound is my heart with cords
In sorrow's coil.
2 As cloud of dust wind-blown,
Just such is he.
Heady he seems to own,
And come to me.
But he comes not nor goes,
Stands in his pride.
Long, long, with painful throes,
Grieved I abide.
3 Strong blew the wind ; the cloud
Hastened away.
Soon dark again, the shroud
Covers the day.
I wake, and sleep no more
Visits my eyes.
His course I sad deplore,
With heavy sighs.
4 Cloudy the sky, and dark;
The thunders roll.
Such outward signs well mark
My troubled soul.
I wake, and sleep no more
Comes to give rest.
His course I sad deplore,
In anguished breast.
VI.
The Keih lioo ; narrative. SOLDIERS or WEI HEWAIL THEIR SEPARA
TION FBOM THEIR FAMILIES, AND ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL BE
FINAL.
In B.C. 718, Wei twice joined in an expedition against Ch'ing. Chow-
yu had just murdered duke Hwan, and the people were restless under his
rule. To divert their minds, and make himself acceptable to other
States, he attacked Ch'ing; and having made an agreement with Sung,
Ch'in, and Ts'ae, a combined force marched against that State. This ex
pedition did not last long, and a second was undertaken in autumn, in
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