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We proceeded with our carriage ,
To those pasture grounds .
' From the place of the son of Heaven ,
Came an order to me to march , ' [said the general] .
So he called his carriage-officers,
And told them to get the carriages all ready .
' The king's business , ' [said he] , ' is surrounded with difficulties ;
We must use despatch . '

We proceeded with our carriage ,
To that suburban region .
The banner with tortoises and serpents was raised ,
And the ox-tails set up at the top of its staff ;
Did not it and the falcon banner ,
Fly about grandly ?
The [general's] heart was anxious and sad ,
And the carriage-officers appeared full of care .

The king charged Nan Zhong ,
To go and build a wall in the [disturbed] region .
How numerous were his chariots !
How splendid his dragon , his tortoise and serpent flags !
The son of Heaven had charged us ,
To build a wall in that northern region .
Awe-inspiring was Nan Zhong ;
The Xian-yun were sure to be swept away !

When we were marching at first ,
The millets were in flower .
Now that we are returning ,
The snow falls , and the roads are all mire .
The king's business was not to be slackly performed ,
And we had not leisure to rest .
Did we not long to return ?
But we were in awe of the orders in the tablets .

' Yao-yao go the grass-insects ,
And the hoppers leap about .
While we do not see our husbands ,
Our hearts must be full of grief .
Let us but see our husbands ,
And our hearts will be at rest . '
The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong ,
Is smiting the Rong of the west .

The spring-days are lengthening out ;
The plants and trees grow full of verdure ;
The oriole's cry comes jie-jie ;
[Our wives] go in crowds to gather the white southernwood .
With our prisoners for the question and our captive crowd ,
We return .
Awe-inspiring is Nan zhong ;
The Xian-yun are pacified .