Jiao Rite Petition at the Polo Ground, Offered in Sanggyeong — Third Cup, Blue Text (靑詞)上京行毬庭醮禮文 三獻靑詞
天地肇分。於是有神祗之別。陰陽不測。故嘗司禍福之權。苟傾懇倒之誠。尋荷提撕之賜。咨予冲眇。職此艱難。適遭家國之搶攘。頻致羌戎之侵突。雖有金城之險勢。於心猶且慮危。迺遷天府之奧區。其計要將避患。何大敵尙窺於邇境。抑祅星屢見於上穹。是否德所招。自可甘蒙其孽。而愚民何識。忍令同被乎災。如疾在心。維憂用老思。所以善閑之術。凡莫如陰佑之私。况殊庭克祀之儀。是歷代不删之典。肆循成例。益罄精衷。肅陳潦酌之潔蠲。敬佇飈遊之臨格。冀歆微薄。僉借扶維。致令沴氣旋消。善祥荐至。羌兵自熄。若火滅以無遺。王業中興。如竹苞而益固。璣衡不忒。箕畢常調。
When heaven and earth first divided, there came to be the division of the spirits of heaven and the spirits of earth; and because yin and yang cannot be fathomed, they were early entrusted with the power over misfortune and blessing. Truly, if one exhausts the sincerity that is poured out in earnest, one then receives the grace of being led and awakened.
Alas, young and small as I am, I have taken up this hard seat. Coming just upon a time of disorder in the state, I have often drawn the barbarians' incursions. Though there was the steep strength of a wall girt with iron, in my heart I still feared the danger. And so I moved to a deep land, like a storehouse given by heaven; the plan of it was to escape calamity.
Yet why does the great enemy still spy upon the near borders, and why do uncanny stars appear so often in the heavens? If this is what my poor virtue has called forth, I will take the calamity upon myself and bear it gladly. But what do the simple people know? How could I bear to let them suffer the calamity with me? It is as though sickness had entered my breast, and with care I grow old.
Thinking of an art that would ward it off well, there is nothing at all like the grace of help given in secret. Still more, the ritual of offering sacrifice in the special court is a rule that no reign has pared away. And so, following the precedent already made, I pour out my sincere inward feeling the more. Reverently I set out the poor wine, clearly strained, and wait in respect for the step of your wind-borne wandering to arrive.
I pray that you partake, poor though it is, and lend us all the strength of your upholding. Let the baleful breath fade at once and good omens come again and again; let the barbarian troops go out of themselves, as a fire burns low and leaves nothing; let the royal work rise again midway, growing firmer as bamboo roots thicken; and let the courses of sun, moon and stars not go awry, and wind and rain be always even.
Interlinear notes 1
維憂用老思 — the base text's punctuation attached 思 to the preceding clause; we have broken at 維憂用老, as in the ode Soban of the Book of Songs, and read 思 as the head of the following clause (思所以善閑之術). — Translator