小雅·鹿鸣之什·天保

天保定尔，亦孔之固。俾尔单厚，何福不除？俾尔多益，以莫不庶。

天保定尔，俾尔戬榖。罄无不宜，受天百禄。降尔遐福，维日不足。

天保定尔，以莫不兴。如山如阜，如冈如陵，如川之方至，以莫不增。

吉蠲为饎，是用孝享。禴祠烝尝，于公先王。君曰卜尔，万寿无疆。

神之吊矣，诒尔多福。民之质矣，日用饮食。群黎百姓，徧为尔德。

如月之恒，如日之升。如南山之寿，不骞不崩。如松柏之茂，无不尔或承。


The Royalty

May Heaven bless our king
With great security,
Give him favor and bring
Him great felicity
That he may do more good
And people have more food.

May Heaven bless our king
With perfect happiness,
Make him do everything
Right and with great success
That he may have his will
And we enjoy our fill.

May Heaven bless our king
With great prosperity
Like hills and plains in spring
Grown to immensity
Or the o'erbrimming river
Flowing forever and ever.


Offer your wine and rice
From summer, fall to spring
As filial sacrifice
To your ancestral king
Whose soul in the witch appears:
“May you live long,long years!”


The spirit comes and confers
Many blessings on you
And on simple laborers
But daily food and brew.
The common people raise
Their voice to sing your praise:

Like the moon in the sky
Or sunrise o'er the plain,
Like southern mountains high
Which never fall or wane
Or like luxuriant pines,
May such be your succeeding lines!"