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Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 3.djvu/429

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ODE 10.
THE MAJOR ODES OF THE KINGDOM.
395

He repaired the walls along the (old) moat. His establishing himself in Făng was according to (the pattern of his forefathers), It was not that lie was in haste to gratify his wishes;—It was to show the filial duty that had come down to him. A sovereign true was the royal prince!

His royal merit was brightly displayed By those walls of Făng. There were collected (the sympathies of the people of) the four quarters, Who regarded the royal prince as their protector. A sovereign true was the royal prince!

The Făng-water flowed on to the east (of the city), Through the meritorious labour of . There were collected (the sympathies of the people of) the four quarters, Who would have the great king as their ruler. A sovereign true was the great king[1]!

In the capital of Hâo he built his hall with its circlet of water[2]. From the west to the east, From the south to the north, There was not a thought but did him homage. A sovereign true was the great king!

He examined and divined, did the king, About settling in the capital of Hâo. The tortoise-shell decided the site[3], And king completed the city. A sovereign true was king Wû!


    removed to it, simply making the necessary repairs and alterations. This explains how we find nothing about the divinations which should have preceded so important a step as the founding of a new capital.

  1. The writer has passed on to , who did actually become king.
  2. See on the third of the Praise Odes of Lû in Part IV.
  3. Hâo was built by , and hence we have the account of his divining about the site and the undertaking.