The north wind stirs the endless woods,
And frozen ice seals the solid ground.
Men sigh at the hardship of the road,
Yet for you, my lord, the journey is easy.
The town of Jujin, a rocky fortress,
Its daily affairs are tangled as a hedgehog's spines.
When opinions clash among the crowd,
A clamor of complaints rises on all sides.
If the magistrate is not stern enough,
He is cast aside as if lowered by a rope.
In the ups and downs of a decade,
How many times has one stumbled, turning a foot?
Your talent is a vessel of ten thousand hu,
A steadfast treasure of the state.
A small trial governing this town,
You've upheld integrity, sharp and true.
Tempered a hundred times, your resolve unshaken,
The bullies and crafty withdrew, hands bound.
Hui-ren, like Zheng Zhiqiao of old,
At first also met with blame and curses.
After three years, the songs of the people are heard,
And human hearts reveal their true and false.
You came to rectify corrupt customs,
Inevitably meeting some discontent.
To resist them seems an endless struggle,
And floating rumors, alas, are fearsome.
Judgment requires time to settle,
To see it through to the end is what counts.
Slander transformed to songs of praise,
Your governance, from the start, was constant.
In nurturing the people, a hidden virtue,
Every move stirred them with genuine intent.
Now your fine achievements bear fruit,
Washing away a decade's shame as you sit.
Are folk customs so far apart?
When one is ordered, others follow suit.
I am but a recluse of hills and marshes,
Forcing a face to bear a minor post.
My weak nature shames this unworthy talent,
Long have I disgraced your great shelter.
I pour out my heart, emptying all thoughts,
Your care for me differs from the common lot.
I, too, consider you a knowing friend,
Toiling and rushing, ever wearing myself out.
Now you ascend to the clear court,
Your luggage carries an auspicious air.
I remain trapped in dusty duties,
How can I escape the clerks' critique?
The way of the world grows shallow and narrow,
Men's hearts compete for profit and gain.
The vulgar are not worth discussing,
Men of purpose may face hardship and want.
The plan and the enterprise,
These two are somewhat alike.
I pray you broaden the grand scheme,
In great employment, show the warp and weft.
The river plum, endowed alone,
Its strange integrity towers like a mighty turtle.
Snap off a branch that endures winter's cold,
Take it by the sleeve, a gift to send.
This thing you inherently possess,
Treasure it, to season the tripod's flavor.
Still more, you must nurture it deeply,
Flower and fruit spring from the very root.