Jiao Rite Petition at Hyeonmu Gate (玄武門), Looking Toward the Northern Fields玄武門望北郊醮禮文
天生蒸人。意豈欲其勦絶。國有闕政。時或降之旱乾。苟謝過以哀祈。卽應誠而孚佑。顧惟凉薄。叨處崇高。夙夜克勤。雖未遑於假寐。賞刑多濫。動自召於咎徵。迺當盛夏之辰。久苦亢陽之厄。肆投眞蔭。庶借陰庥。水德所存。望北郊而稽首。蘋羞可薦。採南澗以展儀。仰冀茫茫。僉歆苾苾。普霑甘澍。使百穀以勃興。大有豐年。致千倉之露積。
Heaven brought forth the multitude of people; how could its intent be to cut them off and destroy them? When the state has governance left undone, Heaven at times sends down drought; yet if one truly apologizes for one's faults and prays in sorrow, then Heaven answers that sincerity and gives faithful help.
Looking back, with a thin and slight body I presume to hold a high place. Diligent from early morning until night, I have had no leisure even to close my eyes with my clothes still on; yet rewards and punishments have often run to excess, and at every turn I have myself called down the omens of fault. So now, meeting the height of summer, I have long suffered the calamity of a fierce and blazing sun.
Therefore I come before the true shade to borrow your unseen sheltering. Because the virtue of water abides there, I bow my head toward the northern fields; and because water-chestnut greens are fit to be offered, I gather them from the southern stream and spread out the rite.
Looking up, I pray that you who are far and vast may all partake of this fragrance. Let sweet rain soak everywhere so that all the grains rise up in vigor, and let the year be greatly abundant so that heaped stacks pile up in a thousand granaries.