University of Virginia Library

Pure and reverent was Da-ren ,
The mother of king Wen ;
Loving was she to Zhou Jiang ;—
A wife becoming the House of Zhou .
Da-si inherited her excellent fame ,
And from her came a hundred sons .

He conformed to the example of his ancestors ,
And their Spirits had no occasion for complaint .
Their Spirits had no occasion for dissatisfaction ,
And his example acted on his wife ,
Extended to his brethren ,
And was felt by all the clans and States .

Full of harmony was he in his palace ;
Full of reverence in the ancestral temple .
Out of sight he still felt as under inspection ;
Unweariedly he maintained [his virtue] .

Though he could not prevent [some] great calamities ,
His brightness and magnanimity were without stain .
Without previous instruction he did what was right ;
Without admonition , he went on [in the path of goodness] .

So , grown up men became virtuous [through him] ,
And young men made [constant] attainments .
[Our] ancient prince never felt weariness ,
And from him were the fame and eminence of his officers .