The men and women ploughing the land
Would never idly watch and stand.
The women fed silkworms at night;
Men worked before the da3 was bright.
As the farming days are brief,
We' 11 miss the timely rain v, ith grief.
Ji Que did ploughing with his wife'
Zhangc u and Jienie farmed for life.
The men of virtue and renown
Would rend the crops and never frown.
How' can the men of common breed
Be loath to sow and plough and weed?
If people work hard all year round.
Their life will certainly abound.
If manx idle hours they spend.
What i- to hope for at year's end?
They'll have no grains for daily meals,
With thirst and hunger at their heels.
Should they have looked at other men,
How could they not be shameful then?
Confucius dwelt on moral code
And scorned Fan Xu. who ploughed and sowed.
Dong Zhongshu liked the lute and books,
Ignoring farm-work near the brooks.
If you can shun the world tike them.
Farm-work you may as well contemn.
In this case I will envy you
And say that I agree with you.
Here comes our guest, here comes our gue
Who rules o'er people without a rest.
Your service which is just and fair
Bestows bliss to people here and there.
You ollow truth with due respect
And isten to what is correct.
In ex er', sense my bosom friend.
So many days with me you spend
We chat together, see the sight
And all our worries take to flight.
Whene'er we meet. we dine and wine
L'nti we get drunk: it's so fine!
Pleased to have you as my tiiend
I hope for happier days we'll spend.
……