SBE 3: Shih King: Major Odes, First Decade: Ode 6. The Sze Kâi

ODE 6. THE SZE KÂI.

THE VIRTUE OF WĂN, WITH HIS FILIAL PIETY AND CONSTANT REVERENCE, AND THEIR WONDERFUL EFFECTS. THE EXCELLENT CHARACTER OF HIS MOTHER AND WIFE.

Pure and reverent was Thâi Zăn 5, The mother of king Wăn. Loving was she to Kâu Kiang 6;--

1 inherited her excellent fame, And from her came a hundred sons 2.

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. Unseen (by men), he still felt that he was under inspection 3: 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.

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Footnotes

387:5 Thâi Zăn is celebrated, above, in the second ode.

387:6 Kâu Kiang is 'the lady Kiang' of ode 3, the wife of Than-fû or 388:1 Thâi Sze, the wife of Wăn, we are told in ode 2, was from the state of Hsin. The surname Sze shows that its lords must have been descended from the Great Yü.

388:2 We are not to suppose that Thâi Sze had herself a hundred sons. She had ten, and her freedom from jealousy so encouraged the fruitfulness of the harem, that all the sons born in it are ascribed to her.

388:3 Where there was no human eye to observe him, Wan still felt that he was open to the observation of spiritual beings.