Prayer for the fast at the last prime, the second下元齋詞
1A jade tally in his hand, his will lodged in the golden register
年月日。啓請如科儀。臣伏以測管窺天。雖乖曠望。揮戈駐日。蓋感精誠。苟爲山之力不虧。則至海之期何遠。仰玄門之善閉。遵妙道以勤行。但以爲子爲臣。曰忠曰孝。旣增榮於國祿。願無忝於家勳。手握玉符。且救寰中之難。志棲金籙。唯思象外之遊。每慮政失務三。法虧畫一。雖愼撫綏於南兗。尙多愆咎於北酆。況當翦寇爲期。弭兵未暇。今則月就盈數。日臨下元。遙倣眞儀。敬陳齋法。儼星壇而稽首。想風馭以馳魂。伏乞太上三尊。十方衆聖。玄慈見蔭。良願克諧。翠華早耀於秦雲。皇祚永興於漢日。百官多慶。八裔同歡。寇戎則銷燧象之災。幽滯則假燭龍之照。然後使臣世官貞吉。道業滋成。遺榮待泛於五湖。企想潛通於三島。作人間之都尉。蒯訓無心。拜天上之侍郞。沈羲有望。唯願在家必達。終能直道而行。臣無任祈恩懺罪虔切惶恐之至。謹辭。
Such a year, such a month, such a day. The opening petition is as the ritual code prescribes. Your servant bows and considers that to measure with a tube and peep at heaven falls short of a wide view, and yet that to wave a spear and halt the sun comes of being moved by pure sincerity. If the strength that builds a mountain is not spent, how far off is the term of reaching the sea? He looks up to the good closing of the dark gate, and follows the wondrous Way with diligent practice. But as a son and as a subject there is loyalty and there is filial duty. Since he has added honor through the stipend of the state, he wishes to bring no shame upon the merit of his house. A jade tally in his hand, he saves for now the troubles within the world. His will roosting in the golden register, he thinks only of roaming beyond all images. Always he fears that his governing loses the three things it should attend to, and that his law falls short of being all of one piece. Though he is careful in soothing and settling Nanyan, his faults are still many before the dark court of Beifeng. Still more, with the cutting down of bandits set as his term, he has no leisure to lay down arms. Now the moon draws toward its full count, and the day comes to the last prime. From afar he copies the true rite, and reverently he sets out the law of the fast. Solemn at the star altar he bows his head to the ground, and thinking of the wind-drawn carriage he sends his soul running. I humbly beg the Three Most High Honored Ones and the host of saints of the ten directions to shade him with their dark mercy, and to let his good wish be granted. Let the kingfisher plumes shine soon in the clouds of Qin, and let the imperial line rise forever in the sun of Han. Let the hundred officers have much to rejoice in, and let the eight far regions rejoice as one. For bandits and troops, let the calamity of the torch-bearing elephants be melted away. For those held fast in the dark, let the light of Zhulong be lent. After that, let your servant's hereditary office be upright and fortunate, and let his work in the Way grow to completion. Leaving honor behind, let him wait to float upon the Five Lakes. Raising his thought, let him pass in secret to the Three Isles. To be a commandant among men, Kuai Xun had no mind for it. To be made a gentleman in attendance in heaven, Shen Xi had that hope. He wishes only that even at home he may surely come through, and walk the straight way to the end. Your servant cannot bear the fullness of his prayer for kindness, his repentance of sin, his reverent urgency and his fear. This he submits with respect.