Book III. The Odes of P‘ei: XIX. Erh Tsŭ Ch‘êng Chou

XIX The Erh Tsŭ Ch‘êng Chou; narrative. Surmises as to the death of two sons of Duke Hsüan. 1The two youths went into their boats, Whose shadow on the water floats. What evil to them came? Anxious and wondering, long we muse; Our hearts are tossed with tossing views. Some one must be to blame. 2Into their boats the two youths passed, And on the stream were carried fast. What was there to alarm? With longing thought we fain would trace, The secret of their ill-starred race. Did they not come to harm?