'great Tî sacrifice,' when the principal object of honour would be the ancient Khû, the father of Hsieh, with Hsieh as his correlate, and all the kings of the dynasty, with the earlier lords of Shang, and their famous ministers and advisers, would have their places at the service. I think this is the oldest of the odes of Shang.
Profoundly wise were (the lords of) Shang, And long had there appeared the omens (of their dignity).
When the waters of the deluge spread vast abroad, Yü arranged and divided the regions of the land, And assigned to the exterior great states their boundaries, With their borders extending all over (the kingdom). (Even) then the chief of Sung was beginning to be great, And God raised up the son (of his daughter), and founded (the line of) Shang[1].
The dark king exercised an effective sway[2]. Charged with a small state, he commanded success; Charged with a large state, he commanded success[3]. He followed his rules of conduct without error; Wherever he inspected (the people), they responded (to his instructions)[4]. (Then came) Hsiang-thû all ardent[5], And all within the four seas, beyond (the middle regions), acknowledged his restraints.
- ↑ This line refers to the birth of Hsieh, as described in the previous ode, and his being made lord of Shang.
- ↑ It would be hard to say why Hsieh is here called 'the dark king.' There may be an allusion to the legend about the connexion of the swallow,—'the dark bird,'—with his birth. He never was 'a king;' but his descendants here represented him as such.
- ↑ All that is meant here is, that the territory of Shang was enlarged under Hsieh.
- ↑ There is a reference here to Hsieh's appointment by Shun to be Minister of Instruction.
- ↑ Hsiang-thû appears in the genealogical lists as grandson of Hsieh. We know nothing of him but what is related here.
