Reflections On Early History: Nine Chapters
Chapter No. 6
读 史 述 九 章
进 德 修 业， 将 以 及 时。
如 彼 稷 契， 孰 不 愿 之？
嗟 乎 二 贤， 逢 世 多 疑。
侯 詹 写 志， 感 鵩 献 辞。
Du Shi Shu Jiu Zhang
(6)
Jin de xiu ye, jiang yi ji shi.
Ru bi ji qi, shu bu yuan zhi?
Jie hu er xian, feng shi duo yi.
Hou zhan xie zhi, gan fu xian ci.
Reflections on Early History: Nine Chapters: Chapter No. 6
They studied hard to advance morality and virtue, in time wanted to help support their society.
Like the good men Ji and Qi, who would not wish to be cultivated like them?Lament: too bad these two virtuous men, met in the time when doubt was prevalent.
Quyuan consulted the oracle of Zhan, but still kept to his principles,
Jiayi knew the arrival of the owl portended his impending death.
Notes:
Quyuan: (340-278 BC) Famous for assembling the Songs of Chu, writing the famous poem Li Sao, and for the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival that is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
Jiayi: (210-169 BC) Poet during the Western Han Dynasty. Famous for his critique of the Qin Dynasty collapse, and for the poems “On the Owl” and “Lament for Quyuan”.