Repeating 'Liao E', I think of my parents,
Their kindness, beyond compare, like heaven and earth.
They bore me, nurtured me, raised and fostered me,
Carried me close, in and out, through all hardships.
As a child of man, wishing to repay their virtue,
The vast heavens—in my heart, there is no limit.
Obedience and respect still fear failing to require their grace,
How dare one forget kindness and become rebellious?
This land has always been rich in filial piety and righteousness,
West of the county was once Zeng Shen's village.
Later, to avoid the great sage's name,
They changed the village name to 'Nourishing Resolve'.
Thus we know the village had filial people,
Even now their name remains fragrant.
The human heart and heavenly principle are not far apart,
Why not follow the filial deeds of former worthies?
Customs grow shallow and wicked—truly lamentable,
Cruel and unfilial ones act with reckless ferocity.
They do not think of parents' toilsome grace,
Rebelling against virtue and rites as if habitual.
You should be like the crow that feeds its mother in return,
Yet you scold her like a dog or slave.
You should be like the lamb that kneels to suckle,
Yet you curse her like a frightening rat.
Though these things may not be exactly so,
Hearing of them makes my hair stand on end.
One day, acknowledging fault, deeply blaming oneself,
Because my teaching and transformation have not reached all.
I recall once being magistrate of your noble district,
Seeing a mother and son by chance in dispute.
The magistrate then shed tears and taught the 'Classic of Filial Piety',
Mother and son suddenly arose with newfound respect.
Now I tell you these causes and conditions,
You should wholly reform your former evils.
The karmic retributions of the past are hard to fully tell,
Within filial piety lies heaven's own way.
Of the five punishments, unfiliality is the gravest,
You should awaken sharply and heed my instruction.
The law of the state is clear before your eyes,
Light penalty is exile, heavy is penal servitude.
Even if you luckily escape official punishment,
Heaven's punishment will surely reach your person.
The thunder gods' bolts fly with crashing peals,
Then there will be no path for self-renewal.