The Book of Poetry: Book VII. The Odes of Chêng: II. Chiang Chung Tzŭ
The Book of Poetry, tr. by James Legge, [1876]
2My worthy Chung, I pray,
Do not in such a way
Come leaping o’er my wall,
And make the branches fall
From my mulberry tree.
That does not trouble me,
But my brothers all see.
’Tis their words I fear.
You, Chung, have my heart;
But their words severe
Will cause me to smart.
3My worthy Chung, I pray,
Do not in such a way
Into my garden jump,
My sandal trees to thump.
For them I do not care,
But people grow aware
What ‘tis that brings you there.
’Tis their words I fear.
You, Chung, have my heart;
But their words severe
Will cause me to smart.