Classical Chinese · 詩經載芟
載芟載柞，其耕澤澤。千耦其耘，徂隰徂畛。
侯主侯伯，侯亞侯旅，侯彊侯以。
有嗿其饁，思媚其婦，有依其士。
有略其耜，俶載南畝，播厥百穀，實函斯活。
驛驛其達，有厭其傑。厭厭其苗，緜緜其麃。
載穫濟濟，有實其積，萬億及秭。
為酒為醴，烝畀祖妣，以洽百禮，有飶其香，邦家之光。
有椒其馨，胡考之寧。匪且有且，匪今斯今，振古如茲。
English · James LeggeOde 5. The Zâi Shan.
They clear away the grass and the bushes;
And the ground is laid open by their ploughs.
In thousands of pairs they remove the roots,
Some in the low wet land, some along the dykes.
There are the master and his eldest son;
His younger sons, and all their children;
Their strong helpers, and their hired servants.
How the noise of their eating the viands brought to them resounds!
(The husbands) think lovingly of their wives;
(The wives) keep close to their husbands.
(Then) with their sharp ploughshares
They set to work on the south-lying acres.
They sow their various kinds of grain,
Each seed containing in it a germ of life.
In unbroken lines rises the blade,
And, well nourished, the stalks grow long.
Luxuriant looks the young grain,
And the weeders go among it in multitudes.
Then come the reapers in crowds,
And the grain is piled up in the fields,
Myriads, and hundreds of thousands, and millions (of stacks);
For spirits and for sweet spirits,
To offer to our ancestors, male and female,
And to provide for all ceremonies.
Fragrant is their aroma,
Enhancing the glory of the state.
Like pepper is their smell,
To give comfort to the aged.
It is not here only that there is this (abundance);
It is not now only that there is such a time:—From of old it has been thus.