Fish in Abundance

The Fish in the Trap

Preface: The Fish in the Trap praises the abundance and diversity of all things, enabling the completion of rites. King Wen and King Wu governed internally with the poems from Heaven’s Protection upward, and externally with those from Gathering the Bracken downward. Beginning with sorrow and toil, and ending with ease and joy, therefore they praised the abundance and diversity of all things, which could thus be used to make offerings to the spirits.

The fish fall into the fish trap—

There are the yellow catfish and the shark.

The noble man has wine,

Rich in flavor and abundant in quantity.

The fish fall into the fish trap—

There are the bream and the black fish.

The noble man has wine,

Abundant in quantity and rich in flavor.

The fish fall into the fish trap—

There are the catfish and the carp.

The noble man has wine,

Rich in flavor and complete in every kind.

All things are so abundant—

Truly excellent indeed.

All things are so flavorful—

Truly complete indeed.

All things are so complete—

Truly timely indeed.

The Fish in the Trap has six stanzas: three stanzas of four lines each, and three stanzas of two lines each.

The Decade of the Stag’s Call comprises ten pieces, fifty-five stanzas, and three hundred and fifteen lines.

Preface: The Southern Bank concerns filial sons admonishing one another to serve their parents. The White Blossom concerns the spotless virtue of filial sons. The Flourishing Millet concerns the harmony of the seasons and a bountiful harvest, suitable for planting millet and glutinous millet. These poems have their meanings, but their lyrics are lost.