[I]
[I]
Heaven is dark, yellow is the earth; a vast primordial void before the cosmos' birth.
The sun and moon wax and wane; the stars are spread across the sky.
Cold arrives then heat once more; Autumn's harvest, Winter's store.
Extra days round out the years; scale in tune with sun and spheres.
Clouds soar up to end in rain; the dew congeals to morning frost.
Gold is born in the River Li; jade comes from Kunlun's vault.
A sword is styled "Juque"; a pearl, the "Gleam of Night."
Dearest fruit are pears and apples; fine crops mustard, ginger.
Sea is saline, streams sublime; fish school below, birds flock on high.
Dragon Master, Fire King; Bird Officer, Lord of Men.
Writing was invented, and garments were worn.
Yielding the throne, passing the land; rulers of Yu, Tao and Tang.
Relieve the people, right the wrong; as did Zhou's Fa, as did Yin's Tang.
Presiding at court and asking the Way; gracious yet lordly, discuss and decide.
With love he taught the common folk; in submission, wild tribes.
Far and near, they joined as one; all followed, rallied to the king.
The phoenix calls from bamboo stand; White pony grazes pasture land.
Wise teachings dress each plant and tree; bounty everywhere we see.
These bodies and this hair of ours; Four Great Things, Five Principles.
Do honor to my parents' upbringing; how dare I bring myself to hurt?
Women should admire chastity and purity; men should emulate talent and virtue.
Correct your errors to set them right; keep your mastered skills forever in sight.
Do not gossip about others' faults; do not boast of your own strengths.
A trustworthy messenger's word can be verified; a vessel's capacity should be hard to measure.
Mozi lamented that white silk could be dyed any color; the Book of Odes praises the lamb.
Admiring the virtuous inspires emulation; mastering one's thoughts leads to sagehood.
When virtue is established, one's name is made; when form is upright, one's bearing is correct.
A sound echoes through the empty valley; a whisper is heard clearly in an empty hall.
Misfortune stems from accumulated evil; fortune comes from accumulated good deeds.
A foot of jade is not treasure; an inch of time is worth contesting for.
To serve one's father and one's lord is to show solemnity and reverence.
Filial piety requires utmost effort; loyalty demands one's very life.
Tread as by a deep abyss or on thin ice; rise early to tend your parents with warmth and coolness in season.
Fragrant like the orchid, flourishing like the pine.
The river flows endlessly; the deep pool reflects clearly.
Composure as if in thought, words calm and steady.
To be true at the beginning is a virtue; to be careful through the end is a mark of honor.
These virtues form the foundation of honorable endeavors, leading to boundless and enduring renown.
Those who excel in learning may enter office and take up the duties of governance.
His memory lives on like the sweet pear tree left behind; the more he is gone, the more he is praised in song.
Music differs by rank; rites differ by status.
Above, harmony; below, concord - husband leads, wife follows.
[II]
[II]
Outside, one receives a tutor's teachings; inside, one upholds a mother's example.
Aunts and uncles should be treated as one's own parents; nephews and nieces as one's own children.
Brothers, bound by deep affection, share the same breath and grow from linked branches.
Friends should share common purpose, encouraging and admonishing one another.
Benevolence and compassion should never be abandoned, even in moments of urgency.
Integrity, righteousness, honesty, and humility should hold firm, even amid hardship and adversity.
A tranquil nature brings ease of spirit; a restless heart brings weariness of soul.
Holding to truth brings fulfillment; chasing worldly things leads the heart astray.
Uphold refined conduct, and honor and rank will naturally follow.
The capitals of China: two great cities, east and west.
Backed by Mount Mang, facing the Luo River; bordered by the Wei, resting upon the Jing.
Palaces coil and rise in grandeur; towers and terraces soar, startling the eye.
They painted birds and beasts, and depicted immortals in splendor.
Side chambers open to the wings; the royal tents face the pillars.
They spread the mats and laid the feast, striking se and blowing sheng.
Ascending the steps to the throne, their caps' pendants glimmered like scattered stars.
To the right lies the Guangnei Hall; to the left, the Chengming Hall.
They gathered ancient classics and canons, and assembled talents of every kind.
Du's drafts, Zhong's clerical script, lacquer writings, and wall-hidden classics.
Generals and ministers filled the courts; nobles and officials lined the roads like locust trees.
Households were granted eight counties; families were provided a thousand soldiers.
Tall-capped officials accompanied the carriages, wheels rolling and tassels swaying.
Generations of nobility grew ever more prosperous, with carriages swift and garments light.
Their merits were recorded and their deeds honored, inscribed on steles and carved in stone.
Yi Yin toiled at Panxi, aiding the age as chief minister.
He ruled over Qufu; who but Duke Dan could have managed it so well?
Duke Huan united the states, aiding the weak and upholding the fallen.
Qi Li restored Emperor Hui of Han; Fu Yue moved King Wuding to virtue.
With able and righteous men laboring diligently, many talents brought peace to the realm.
Jin and Chu took turns as hegemons; Zhao and Wei struggled against the Qin alliance.
They borrowed passage to destroy Guo, and swore oaths at Jiantu.
He Xiao followed the simple laws; Han's excess brought harsh punishments.
Qi, Jian, Lian, and Mu were the finest generals in the art of war.
Their might spread across the desert, their fame echoing through painted portraits.
The Nine Provinces bore Yu's footprints; the Hundred Commanderies were united under Qin.
Mount Tai stands foremost among peaks; there the emperors held their sacrificial rites.
Yanmen and the Purple Frontier, Jitian and Chicheng.
Kunming Lake and Jieshi, Juye Marsh and Dongting Lake.
Vast and boundless stretch the lands, deep and dim lie the mountain caves.
Governance is rooted in agriculture; one must attend diligently to farming.
At the start of spring we till the southern fields; there I plant my millet and grain.
Taxes are paid with the ripe harvest, tribute offered fresh; rewards and demotions follow merit.
[III]
[III]
Meng Ke cultivated simplicity; Shi Yu upheld integrity.
Strive for the middle way, working hard with humility and care.
Listen to words to discern truth, observe expressions to read character.
Leave behind wise counsel, and strive to nurture virtue with reverence.
Reflect upon oneself against criticism; excessive favor breeds extreme peril.
Approaching disgrace draws near to shame; it is fortunate to retreat to forest and hill.
The two Shus recognized the moment and retired; who forced them to relinquish their seals?
Living apart in quiet solitude, silent and still.
Seeking the ancients and searching their words, I scatter my worries and wander free.
Joy comes as burdens are cast off; sorrow fades as delight is welcomed.
Lotus blossoms bright in the ditch, garden weeds sprout new shoots.
The loquat stays green through late autumn; the tung tree withers early.
Old roots lie decayed and withered, fallen leaves drift and flutter.
The great kun-bird soars alone, rising high into the crimson sky.
Absorbed in reading like browsing a market stall, his eyes wandered over satchels and cases.
Beware of careless words, for even walls have ears.
Prepare meals and dishes fit to satisfy the palate and fill the stomach.
When full, even fine meats seem plain; when hungry, even dregs taste sweet.
Among kin and old friends, the old and young are served different fare.
Concubines spin and weave, attending with towel and comb in the chamber.
Round silk fans, pure and clean; silver candles burning bright.
Sleeping by day and resting by night, on beds of blue bamboo and ivory frame.
Songs and strings accompany the wine feast, cups passed and toasts raised.
Hands wave and feet stomp in dance, joyful hearts filled with peace.
The rightful heir continues the line, offering sacrifices in season.
They bow their heads to the ground in reverence, trembling with awe and fear.
His letters and memos were concise and essential, and his replies and responses were thorough and precise.
When dusty, one longs to bathe; when hot, one wishes for cool relief.
Donkeys, mules, calves, and bulls leap and bound in startled motion.
They punish thieves and bandits, capturing rebels and fugitives.
Bu's archery, Liao's ball tricks, Ji's zither, and Ruan's flute.
Tian's brush, Lun's paper, Jun's craftsmanship, and Ren's fishing skill.
They resolved disputes and benefited society, each excelling in their own art.
Mao and Shi possessed graceful beauty, skilled in charming frowns and smiles.
The years fly swiftly onward, as the bright sun casts its radiant glow.
The armillary sphere turns on its axis, the moon's phases circling in light.
As fire passes from log to log, cultivate blessings; find lasting peace and auspicious joy.
Walk with measured steps and dignified bearing, moving through the halls of court.
Dress with sash cinched and solemn dignity, pacing thoughtfully while gazing afar.
Narrow in learning and shallow in knowledge, one deserves mockery from fools and wise alike.
As for particles: yan, zai, hu, and ye.
