University of Virginia Library

Yes , [all about] that southern hill ,
Was made manageable by Yu .
Its plains and marshes being opened up ,
It was made into fields by the distant descendant .
We define their boundaries , we form their smaller divisions ,
And make the acres lie , here to the south , there to the east .

The heavens over head are one arch of clouds ,
Snowing in multitudinous flakes .
There is superadded the drizzling rain .
When [the land] has received the moistening ,
Soaking influence abundantly ,
It produces all our kinds of grain .

The boundaries and smaller divisions are nicely adjusted ,
And the millets yield abundant crops ,
The harvest of the distant descendant .
We proceed to make therewith spirits and food ,
To supply our representatives of the dead , and our guests ;—
To obtain long life , extending over myriads of years .

In the midst of the fields are the huts ,
And along the bounding divisions are gourds .
The fruits is sliced and pickled ,
To be presented to our great ancestors ,
That their distant descendant may have long life ,
And receive the blessing of Heaven .

We sacrifice [first] with pure spirits ,
And then follow with a red bull ;
Offering them to our ancestors .
[Our lord] holds the knife with tinkling bells ,
To lay open the hair of the victim ,
And takes its flesh and fat .

Then we present , then we offer ;
All round the fragrance is diffused .
Complete and brilliant is the sacrificial service ;
Grandly come our ancestors .
They will reward [their descendant] with great blessing ,—
Long life , years without end .