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dankodesWelcome to Minor Odes of the Kingdom!
* I found the best option for the weekly reminder emails, via Gmail. The external service options are more involved than our purposes require. Does anyone know anything about how to arrange an Apps Script? Basically all it has to do is tell ten people, on Saturdays, to come and get their juice/poems.
Until someone knows what to do there, I'll send out manual messages weekly. If you'd like to receive these and are not getting them, please let me know.
* If you haven't read it yet, chapter one, on tetrasyllabic shi poetry, in How to Read Chinese Poetry is hugely useful for the Book of Odes, imo.
* IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN or have other ideas, please let me know on this post.
* Every week I search the poems' English results to see if I can find any scholarship or neat bits and pop the results in Resources. Here is this week's collection.
* In case you missed it and are interested, some people on the com are doing a Nirvana in Fire read-along here. Anyone with thoughts is welcome to chime in.
**NEXT BATCH MARCH 29.**
* I found the best option for the weekly reminder emails, via Gmail. The external service options are more involved than our purposes require. Does anyone know anything about how to arrange an Apps Script? Basically all it has to do is tell ten people, on Saturdays, to come and get their juice/poems.
Until someone knows what to do there, I'll send out manual messages weekly. If you'd like to receive these and are not getting them, please let me know.
* If you haven't read it yet, chapter one, on tetrasyllabic shi poetry, in How to Read Chinese Poetry is hugely useful for the Book of Odes, imo.
* IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN or have other ideas, please let me know on this post.
* Every week I search the poems' English results to see if I can find any scholarship or neat bits and pop the results in Resources. Here is this week's collection.
* In case you missed it and are interested, some people on the com are doing a Nirvana in Fire read-along here. Anyone with thoughts is welcome to chime in.
**NEXT BATCH MARCH 29.**
161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
我有嘉賓、鼓瑟吹笙。
吹笙鼓簧、承筐是將。
人之好我、示我周行。
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
Eating the celery of the fields.
I have here admirable guests;
The lutes are struck, and the organ is blown [for them]; -
The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving.
The baskets of offerings [also] are presented to them.
The men love me,
And will show me the perfect path.
呦呦鹿鳴、食野之蒿。
我有嘉賓、德音孔昭。
視民不恌、君子是則是傚。
我有旨酒、嘉賓式燕以敖。
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
Eating the southernwood of the fields.
I have here admirable guests;
Whose virtuous fame is grandly brilliant.
They show the people not to be mean;
The officers have in them a pattern and model.
I have good wine,
Which my admirable guests drink, enjoying themselves.
呦呦鹿鳴、食野之芩。
我有嘉賓、鼓瑟鼓琴。
鼓瑟鼓琴、和樂且湛。
我有旨酒、以嘉樂嘉賓之心。
With pleased sounds the deer call to one another,
Eating the salsola of the fields.
I have here admirable guests;
For whom are struck the lutes, large and small.
The lutes, large and small, are struck,
And our harmonious joy is long-continued.
I have good wine,
To feast and make glad the hearts of my admirable guests.
162. 四牡 - Si Mu
豈不懷歸、王事靡盬、我心傷悲。
My four steeds advanced without stopping;
The way from Zhou was winding and tedious.
Did I not have the wish to return?
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
And my heart was wounded with sadness.
四牡騑騑、嘽嘽駱馬。
豈不懷歸、王事靡盬、不遑啟處。
My four steeds advanced without stopping;
They panted and snorted, the white steeds black-maned.
Did I not have the wish to return?
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
And I had not leisure to kneel or to sit.
翩翩者鵻、載飛載下、集于苞栩。
王事靡盬、不遑將父。
The Filial doves keep flying about,
Now soaring aloft, and now descending,
Collecting on the bushy oaks;
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
And I had not leisure to nourish my father.
翩翩者鵻、載飛載止、集于苞杞。
王事靡盬、不遑將母。
The Filial doves keep flying about,
Now flying, now stopping,
Collecting on the bushy medlars;
But the king's business was not to be slackly performed;
And I had not leisure to nourish my mother.
駕彼四駱、載驟駸駸。
豈不懷歸、是用作歌、將母來諗。
I yoked my four white steeds, black-maned;
They hurried away with speed.
[But] did I not wish to return?
Therefore I make this song,
Announcing my wish to nourish my mother.
163. 皇皇者華 - Huang Huang Zhe Hua
駪駪征夫、每懷靡及。
Brilliant are the flowers,
On those level heights and the low grounds.
Complete and alert is the messenger, with his suite,
Ever anxious lest he should not succeed.
我馬維駒、六轡如濡。
載馳載驅、周爰咨諏。
My horses are young;
The six reins look as if they were moistened.
I gallop them, and urge them on,
Everywhere pushing my inquiries.
我馬維騏、六轡如絲。
載馳載驅、周爰咨謀。
My horses are piebald;
The six reins are like silk.
I gallop them, and urge them on,
Everywhere seeking information and counsel.
我馬維駱、六轡沃若。
載馳載驅、周爰咨度。
My horses are white and black-maned;
The six reins look glossy.
I gallop them, and urge them on,
Everywhere seeking information and advice.
我馬維駰、六轡既均。
載馳載驅、周爰咨詢。
My horses are grey;
The six reins are well in hand.
I gallop them, and urge them on,
Everywhere seeking information and suggestions.
164. 常棣 - Chang Di
凡今之人、莫如兄弟。
The flowers of the cherry tree -
Are they not gorgeously displayed?
Of all the men in the world,
There are none equal to brothers.
死喪之威、兄弟孔懷。
原隰裒矣、兄弟求矣。
On the dreaded occasions of death and burial,
It is brothers who greatly sympathize.
When fugitives are collected on the heights and low grounds,
They are brothers who will seek one another out.
脊今在原、兄弟急難。
每有良朋、況也永歎。
There is the wagtail on the level height; -
When brothers are in urgent difficulties,
Friends, though they may be good,
Will [only] heave long sighs.
兄弟鬩于牆、外禦其務。
每有良朋、烝也無戎。
Brothers may quarrel inside the walls,
But they will oppose insult from without,
When friends, however good they may be,
Will not afford help.
喪亂既平、既安且寧。
雖有兄弟、不如友生。
When death and disorder are past,
And there are tranquillity and rest;
Although they have brothers,
[Some] reckon them not equal to friends.
儐爾籩豆、飲酒之飫。
兄弟既具、和樂且孺。
Your dishes may be set in array,
And you may drink to satiety;
But it is when your brothers are all present,
That you are harmonious and happy, with child-like joy.
妻子好合、如鼓瑟琴。
兄弟既翕、和樂且湛。
Loving union with wife and children,
Is like the music of lutes;
But it is the accord of brothers,
Which makes the harmony and happiness lasting.
宜爾室家、樂爾妻帑。
是究是圖、亶其然乎。
For the ordering of your family,
For your joy in your wife and children,
Examine this and study it; -
Will you not find that it is truly so?
165. 伐木 - Fa Mu
出自幽谷、遷于喬木。
嚶其鳴矣、求其友聲。
相彼鳥矣、猶求友聲。
矧伊人矣、不求友生。
神之聽之、終和且平。
On the trees go the blows zheng-zheng;
And the birds cry out ying-ying.
One issues from the dark valley,
And removes to the lofty tree,
While ying goes its cry,
Seeking with its voice its companion.
Look at the bird,
Bird as it is, seeking with its voice its companion;
And shall a man,
Not seek to have his friends?
Spiritual beings will then hearken to him;
He shall have harmony and peace.
伐木許許、釃酒有藇。
既有肥羜、以速諸父。
寧適不來、微我弗顧。
於粲洒掃、陳饋八簋。
既有肥牡、以速諸舅。
寧適不來、微我有咎。
Xu-xu they go, as they fell the trees.
I have strained off my spirits, till they are fine,
And the fatted lambs are provided,
To which to invite my paternal uncles.
It is better that something should keep them from coming,
Than that I should not have regarded them.
Oh! brightly I have sprinkled and swept my courtyard,
And arranged my viands, with eight dishes of grain, along with my fatted meat,
To which to invite my maternal uncles.
It is better that something should keep them from coming,
Than that there should be blame attaching to me.
伐木于阪、釃酒有衍。
籩豆有踐、兄弟無遠。
民之失德、乾餱以愆。
有酒湑我、無酒酤我。
坎坎鼓我、蹲蹲舞我。
迨我暇矣、飲此湑矣。
They fell down the trees along the hill-side.
I have strained off my spirits in abundance;
The dishes stand in rows,
And none of my brethren are absent.
The loss of kindly feeling among people,
May arise from faults in the matter of dry provisions.
If I have spirits I strain them, do I;
If I have no spirits, I buy them, do I;
I make the drums beat, do I;
I lead on the dance, do I.
Whenever we have leisure,
Let us drink the sparkling spirits.
166. 天保 - Tian Bao
俾爾單厚、何福不除。
俾爾多益、以莫不庶。
Heaven protects and establishes thee,
With the greatest securtiy;
Makes thee entirely virtuous,
That thou mayest enjoy every happiness;
Grants thee much increase,
So that thou hast all in abundance.
天保定爾、俾爾戩穀。
罄無不宜、受天百祿。
降爾遐福、維日不足。
Heaven protects and establishes thee,
It grants thee all excellence,
So that thine every matter is right,
And thou receivest every heavenly favour.
It sends down to thee long-during happiness,
Which the days are not sufficient to enjoy.
天保定爾、以莫不興。
如山如阜、如岡如陵。
如川之方至、以莫不增。
Heaven protects and establishes thee,
So that in every thing thou dost prosper,
Like the high hills, and the mountain masses,
Like the topmost ridges, and the greatest bulks;
That, as the stream ever coming on,
Such is thine increase.
吉蠲為饎、是用孝享。
禴祠烝嘗、于公先王。
君曰卜爾、萬壽無疆。
With happy auspices and purifications, thou bringest the offerings,
And dost filially present them;
In spring, summer, autumn, and winter,
To the dukes and former kings,
Who says, ' We give to thee,
Myriad of years of duration unlimited. '
神之弔矣、詒爾多福。
民之質矣、日用飲食。
群黍百姓、徧為爾德。
The spirits come,
And confer on thee many blessings.
The people are simple and honest,
Daily enjoying their meat and drink.
All the black-haired race, in all their surnames,
Universally practise your virtue.
如月之恒、如日之升。
如南山之壽、不騫不崩。
如松柏之茂、無不爾或承。
Like the moon advancing to the full,
Like the sun ascending the heavens,
Like the age of the southern hills,
Never waning, never falling,
Like the luxuriance of the fir and the cypress; -
May such be thy succeeding line!
167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
曰歸曰歸、歲亦莫止。
靡室靡家、玁狁之故。
不遑啟居、玁狁之故。
Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now springing up.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
It will be late in the [next] year.
Wife and husband will be separated,
Because of the Xian-yun.
We shall have no leisure to rest,
Because of the Xian-yun.
采薇采薇、薇亦柔止。
曰歸曰歸、心亦憂止。
憂心烈烈、載飢載渴。
我戍未定、靡使歸聘。
Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now tender.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
Our hearts are sorrowful;
Our hearts are sad and sorrowful;
We shall hunger, we shall thirst.
While our service on guard is not finished,
We can send no one home to enquire about our families.
采薇采薇、薇亦剛止。
曰歸曰歸、歲亦陽止。
王事靡盬、不遑啟處。
憂心孔疚、我行不來。
Let us gather the thorn-ferns, let us gather the thorn-ferns;
The thorn-ferns are now hard.
When shall we return? When shall we return?
The year will be in the tenth month.
But the king's business must not be slackly performed;
We shall have no leisure to rest.
Our sorrowing hearts are in great distress;
But we shall not return from our expedition.
彼爾維何、維常之華。
彼路斯何、君子之車。
戎車既駕、四牡業業。
豈敢定居、一月三捷。
What is that so gorgeous?
It is the flowers of the cherry tree.
What carriage is that?
It is the carriage of our general.
His war carriage is yoked;
The four steeds are strong.
Dare we remain inactive?
In one month we shall have three victories.
駕彼四牡、四牡騤騤。
君子所依、小人所腓。
四牡翼翼、象弭魚服。
豈不日戒、玁狁孔棘。
The four steeds are yoked,
The four steeds, eager and strong; -
The confidence of the general,
The protection of the men.
The four steeds move regularly, like wings; -
There are the bow with its ivory ends, and the seal-skin quiver.
Shall we not daily warn one another?
The business of the Xian-yun is very urgent.
昔我往矣、楊柳依依。
今我來思、雨雪霏霏。
行道遲遲、載渴載飢。
我心傷悲、莫知我哀。
At first, when we set out,
The willows were fresh and green;
Now, when we shall be returning,
The snow will be falling in clouds.
Long and tedious will be our marching;
We shall hunger; we shall thirst.
Our hearts are wounded with grief,
And no one knows our sadness.
168. 出車 - Chu Che
自天子所、謂我來矣。
召彼僕夫、謂之載矣。
王事多難、維其棘矣。
We proceeded with our carriage,
To those pasture grounds.
' From the place of the son of Heaven,
Came an order to me to march, ' [said the general].
So he called his carriage-officers,
And told them to get the carriages all ready.
' The king's business, ' [said he], ' is surrounded with difficulties;
We must use despatch. '
我出我車、于彼郊矣。
設此旐矣、建彼旄矣。
彼旟旐斯、胡不旆旆。
憂心悄悄、僕夫況瘁。
We proceeded with our carriage,
To that suburban region.
The banner with tortoises and serpents was raised,
And the ox-tails set up at the top of its staff;
Did not it and the falcon banner,
Fly about grandly?
The [general's] heart was anxious and sad,
And the carriage-officers appeared full of care.
王命南仲、往城于方。
出車彭彭、旂旐央央。
天子命我、城彼朔方。
赫赫南仲、玁狁于襄。
The king charged Nan Zhong,
To go and build a wall in the [disturbed] region.
How numerous were his chariots!
How splendid his dragon, his tortoise and serpent flags!
The son of Heaven had charged us,
To build a wall in that northern region.
Awe-inspiring was Nan Zhong;
The Xian-yun were sure to be swept away!
昔我往矣、黍稷方華。
今我來思、雨雪載塗。
王事多難、不遑啟居。
豈不懷歸、畏此簡書。
When we were marching at first,
The millets were in flower.
Now that we are returning,
The snow falls, and the roads are all mire.
The king's business was not to be slackly performed,
And we had not leisure to rest.
Did we not long to return?
But we were in awe of the orders in the tablets.
喓喓草蟲、趯趯阜螽。
未見君子、憂心忡忡。
既見君子、我心則降。
赫赫南仲、薄伐西戎。
' Yao-yao go the grass-insects,
And the hoppers leap about.
While we do not see our husbands,
Our hearts must be full of grief.
Let us but see our husbands,
And our hearts will be at rest. '
The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong,
Is smiting the Rong of the west.
春日遲遲、卉木萋萋。
倉庚喈喈、采蘩祁祁。
執訊獲醜、薄言還歸。
赫赫南仲、玁狁于夷。
The spring-days are lengthening out;
The plants and trees grow full of verdure;
The oriole's cry comes jie-jie;
[Our wives] go in crowds to gather the white southernwood.
With our prisoners for the question and our captive crowd,
We return.
Awe-inspiring is Nan zhong;
The Xian-yun are pacified.
169. 杕杜 - Di Du
王事靡盬、繼嗣我日。
日月陽止、女心傷止、征夫遑止。
Solitary stands the russet pear tree,
With its fruit so bright.
The king's business must not be slackly performed,
And the days are prolonged with us one after another.
The sun and moon are in the tenth month.
My woman's heart is wounded;
My soldier might have leisure [to return]!
有杕之杜、其葉萋萋。
王事靡盬、我心傷悲。
卉木萋止、女心悲止、征夫歸止。
Solitary stands the russet pear tree,
With its leaves so luxuriant.
The king's business must not be slackly performed,
And my heart is wounded and sad.
The plants and trees are luxuriant,
But my heart is sad.
O that my soldier might return!
陟彼北山、言采其杞。
王事靡盬、憂我父母。
檀車幝幝、四牡痯痯、征夫不遠。
I ascended that hill in the north,
To gather the medlars.
The king's business must not be slackly performed,
And our parents are made sorrowful.
His chariot of sandal wood must be damaged;
His four horses must be worn out;
My soldier cannot be far off.
匪載匪來、憂心孔疚。
期逝不至、而多為恤。
卜筮偕止、會言近止、征夫邇止。
They have not packed up, they do not come;
My sorrowing heart is greatly distressed.
The time is past, and he is not here,
To the multiplication of my sorrows.
Both by the tortoise shell and the reeds have I divined,
And they unite in saying he is near.
My soldier is at hand!
Re: 161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
and now the deer are like, eating cultivated celery in a field? No, get them out of there.
The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving. again I have QUESTIONS
What is the deer xing doing for this party?
Re: 161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
Lu-ming: Salt Lick!
by Ezra Pound
" Salt
lick! " deer on waste sing:
grass for the tasting, guests to feasting;
strike lute and blow
pipes to show how
feasts were in Chou,
drum up that basket-lid now
" Salt
lick! " deer on waste sing:
sharp grass for tasting, guests to feasting.
In clear sincerity,
here is no snobbery
This to show how
good wine should flow
in banquet mid true
gentlemen.
" Salt
lick! " deer on waste sing,
k'in plants for tasting, guests to feasting;
beat drum and strumm
lute and guitar,
lute and guitar to get
deep joy where wine is set
mid-merry din
let the guest in, in, in, let the guest in
Re: 161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
https://www.sacred-texts.com/cfu/bop/bop164.htm
1With sounds of happiness the deer
Browse on the celery of the meads.
A nobler feast is furnished here,
With guests renowned for noble deeds.
The lutes are struck; the organ blows,
Till all its tongues in movement heave.
Each basket loaded stands, and shows
The precious gifts the guests receive.
They love me, and my mind will teach,
How duty's highest aim to reach. p. 183
2With sounds of happiness the deer
The southernwood crop in the meads.
What noble guests surround me here,
Distinguished for their worthy deeds!
From them my people learn to fly
Whate’er is mean; to chiefs they give
A model and a pattern high;—
They show the life they ought to live.
Then fill their cups with spirits rare,
Till each the banquet's joy shall share.
3With sounds of happiness the deer
The salsola crop in the fields.
What noble guests surround me here!
Each lute for them its music yields.
Sound, sound the lutes, or great or small,
The joy harmonious to prolong;
And with my spirits rich crown all
The cups to cheer the festive throng.
Let each retire with gladdened heart,
In his own sphere to play his part.
Re: 161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
http://www.silkqin.com/02qnpu/37lxyy/lx04lm.htm
Re: 162. 四牡 - Si Mu
- "Therefore I make this song,
Announcing my wish to nourish my mother." if wishes were horses...
Re: 163. 皇皇者華 - Huang Huang Zhe Hua
Re: 164. 常棣 - Chang Di
Will you not find that it is truly so? eh, no.
'The flowers of the cherry tree -
Are they not gorgeously displayed?' and 'There is the wagtail on the level height; -'
is this a double-xing situation? What are either of them saying to the poem?
Re: 165. 伐木 - Fa Mu
May arise from faults in the matter of dry provisions." not getting this bit in relation to the stanza
"It is better that something should keep them from coming,
Than that there should be blame attaching to me." yes yes we're all happy when we don't actually have to go out when we said we would bc someone else cancelled
How does the felled trees xing talk back to the poem?
Re: 166. 天保 - Tian Bao
"All the black-haired race, in all their surnames,
Universally practise your virtue." this is odd as it suggests an extra-racial comparison point, and also collapses this tale of individual piety into 'absolutely everyone does this'.
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
The earliest record of the Xianyun is dated to the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (827/25–782 BC). The Book of Songs contains four songs about military actions between the Zhou and the Xianyun. The song "Gathering sow thistle" (Cai qi) mentions 3,000 Zhou chariots in battle against the Xianyun. The song "Sixth month" (Liu yue) says that the battlefield was between the lower courses of the Jing (泾河) and Luo rivers and the Wei valley, very close to the center of the Zhou state."
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
Cai-wei: We Pick Ferns, We Pick Ferns
by Burton Watson
We pick ferns, we pick ferns,
for the ferns are sprouting now:
oh to go home, to go home
before the year is over!
No rooms, no houses for us,
all because of the Xianyun,
no time to kneel or sit down,
all because of the Xianyun.
We pick ferns, we pick ferns,
the ferns now are tender:
oh to go home, to go home!
Our hearts are saddened,
our sad hearts smolder and burn.
We are hungry, we are thirsty,
no limit to our border duty,
no way to send home for news.
We pick ferns, we pick ferns,
now the ferns have grown tough
oh to go home, to go home
in the closing months of the year!
The king's business allows no slacking,
no leisure to kneel or rest
Our sad hearts are sick to death,
this journey of ours has no return!
What splendor is here?
The splendor of cherry flowers.
What chariot is this?
The chariot of our lord.
The war chariot is yoked,
four stallions sturdy and strong
How would we dare to stop and rest?
In one month, three engagements!
We yoke those four stallions,
four stallions stalwart and strong,
for our lord to ride behind,
for lesser men to shield.
Four-stallions stately,
ivory bow-ends, fish-skin quivers:
could we drop our guard for a day?
The Xianyun are fearfully swift!
Long ago we set out
when willows were rich and green.
Now we come back
through thickly falling snow
Slow-slow our march,
we are thirsty, we are hungry,
our hearts worn with sorrow,
no one knows our woe.
Re: 168. 出車 - Chu Che
It's one of the PoV switches from very early in the Shi Jing, as well! We haven't had one of those for ages!
The oriole's cry comes jie-jie I guess birds recognise the concept of sisters, who knew
Interesting to compare masculine and feminine forms of 'gathering' here.
Re: 169. 杕杜 - Di Du
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
Re: 168. 出車 - Chu Che
Re: 168. 出車 - Chu Che
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
Re: 162. 四牡 - Si Mu
Re: 163. 皇皇者華 - Huang Huang Zhe Hua
Re: 161. 鹿鳴 - Lu Ming
'celery': Artemisia rotundifolia, green leaves, stems like chopsticks and crisp, fragrant and can be eaten raw. Later, Baike's vernacular translation has this as mugwort
'southernwood': celery wormwood
'salsola': a plant similar to celery wormwood. MDBG says Phragmites japonica
'The organ is blown till its tongues are all moving.': the tongue is the reed of this instrument. It's a "free reed wind instrument with vertical bamboo pipes" (from MDBG)
Baike says the theme is hotly debated, but does not really specify the debate? Instead it's a lot of words about how pleasant and cheerful it is
Re: 164. 常棣 - Chang Di
Re: 165. 伐木 - Fa Mu
May arise from faults in the matter of dry provisions." not getting this bit in relation to the stanza
I’m getting
Do I or do I not strain my spirits so we have an abundance of alcohol? Yes I do! And THAT’S why there’s no loss of kindly feeling I’m the shebangs I organised for them after they felled the trees. ( a kind of harvest celebration?)
Re: 166. 天保 - Tian Bao
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
Re: 162. 四牡 - Si Mu
Baike says this is a 行役 poem, which relates to serving in the army, forced labor, or official business causing the narrator to wander away from home. The whole poem uses the 'fu' technique.
Baike is also pretty authoritatively saying this is a poem expressing discontent with the ruler, and it is a misinterpretation to say it is about how they couldn't satisfy their loyalty to the ruler and filial piety simultaneously. So rulers would use the poem to show appreciation for the hardships of the workers. Baike proceeds to say all the famous interpretations that turn the 'complain' aspect of the poem into 'beauty' are incorrect.
Re: 163. 皇皇者華 - Huang Huang Zhe Hua
Re: 164. 常棣 - Chang Di
'There is the wagtail on the level height': Wagtails are water birds, so being in the plain is dangerous, a metaphor for the danger the brothers are in.
The Mao commentary says it is written by Zhou Cheng wang, whose brothers rebelled. But other sources have different suggestions, e.g. Zhou gong or Shao Mu gong, since [a bunch of idioms that figuratively mean brothers?] had conflict during this time.
Baike also says this is a song meant to be sung during a banquet, so despite stanza 5 adding a layer [of sadness?], it is mostly cheerful
Re: 165. 伐木 - Fa Mu
Re: 166. 天保 - Tian Bao
Re: 166. 天保 - Tian Bao
'Black-haired race, in all their surnames': Baike simply glosses the first two characters as the masses, the working people, and the second pair as the aristocracy, the 100 surnames of the officials. I think Legge gets black haired from the second character, which is a literary word to mean black, but also means multitude.
Re: 167. 采薇 - Cai Wei
The thorn-ferns are basically edible weeds, gathered to satisfy their hunger.
Re: 168. 出車 - Chu Che
Baike says this is passionately praising commander in chief Nan Zhong's victory over the Xianyun during the early years of Zhou Xuan gong's reign.
Re: 169. 杕杜 - Di Du
The second stanza implies that a year has passed, as the tree is now luxuriant again. This is the same technique used in the line 昔我往矣，杨柳依依 in 167.
Apparently it's a source of debate if the poem, or if specific sections of the poem, are from a male or female POV. Mao's commentary has the entire POV as the male soldier thinking about a woman. However, certain stanzas are more straightforward from either the male or female POV.