The book of odes and hymns – part 50

DING ZHI FANG ZHONG

When [Ding] culminated [at night fall],

He began to build the palace at Chu.

Determining its aspects by means of the sun,

He built the mansion at Chu.

He planted about it hazel and chesnut trees,

The yi, the tong, the zi, and the varnish-tree,

Which, when cut down, might afford materials for lutes.

He ascended those old walls,

And thense surveyed [the site of] Chu.

He surveyed Chu and Tang,

With the high hills and lofty elevations about:

He descended and examined the mulberry trees;

He then divined, and got a fortunate response;

And thus the issue has been truly good.

When the good rain had fallen,

He would order his groom,

By starlight, in the morning, to yoke his carriage,

And would then stop among the mulberry trees and fields.

But not only thus did he show what he was;

Maintaining in his heart a profound devotion to his duties,

His tall horses and mares amounted to three thousand.

dìng zhī fāng zhōng  

定之方中  

dìng zhī fāng zhōng 、zuò yú chǔ gōng 。

定之方中、作于楚宮。

kuí zhī yǐ rì 、zuò yú chǔ shì 。

揆之以日、作于楚室。

shù zhī zhēn lì 、yǐ tóng zǐ qī 、yuán fá qín sè 。

樹之榛栗、椅桐梓漆、爰伐琴瑟。

shēng bǐ xū yǐ 、yǐ wàng chǔ yǐ 。

升彼虛矣、以望楚矣。

wàng chǔ yǔ táng 、jǐng shān yǔ jīng 。

望楚與堂、景山與京。

jiàng guān yú sāng 、 bǔ  yún qí jí 、zhōng rán yǔn zāng 。

降觀于桑、卜云其吉、終然允臧。

líng yǔ jì líng 、mìng bǐ guān rén 。

靈雨既零、命彼倌人。

xīng yán sù jià 、shuō yú sāng tián 。

星言夙駕、說于桑田。

fěi zhí yě rén 、bǐng xīn sāi yuān 、lái pìn sān qiān 。

匪直也人、秉心塞淵、騋牝三千。