文王在上。 King Wen is on high;
於昭于天。 Oh! bright is he in heaven.
周雖舊邦。 Although Zhou was an old country,
其命維新。 The [favouring] appointment lighted on it recently.
有周不顯。 Illustrious was the House of Zhou,
帝命不時。 And the appointment of God came at the proper season.
文王陟降。 King Wen ascends and descends,
在帝左右。 On the left and the right of God.
亹亹文王。 Full of earnest activity was king Wen,
令聞不已。 And his fame is without end.
陳錫哉周。 The gifts [of God] to Zhou,
侯文王孫子。 Extend to the descendants of king Wen; --
文王孫子。 To the descendants of king Wen,
本支百世。 In the direct line and the collateral branches for a hundred generations.
凡周之士。 All the officers of Zhou,
不顯亦世。 Shall [also] be illustrious from age to age.
世之不顯。 They shall be illustrious from age to age,
厥猶翼翼。 Zealously and reverently pursuing their plans.
思皇多士。 Admirable are the many officers,
生此王國。 Born in this royal kingdom.
王國克生。 The royal kingdom is able to produce them, --
維周之楨。 The suppporters of [the House of] Zhou.
濟濟多士。 Numerous is the array of officers,
文王以寧。 And by them king Wen enjoys his repose.
穆穆文王。 Profound was king Wen;
於緝熙敬止。 Oh! continuous and bright was his feeling of reverence.
假哉天命。 Great is the appointment of Heaven!
有商孫子。 There were the descendants of [the sovereigns] of Shang; --
商之孫子。 The descendants of the sovereigns of Shang,
其麗不億。 Were in number more than hundreds of thousands;
上帝既命。 But when God gave the command,
侯於周服。 They became subject to Zhou.
侯服于周。 They became subject to Zhou.
天命靡常。 The appointment of Heaven is not constant.
殷士膚敏。 The officers of Yin, admirable and alert,
祼將于京。 Assist at the libations in [our] capital; --
厥作祼將。 They assist at those libations,
常服黼冔。 Always wearing the hatchets on their lower garment and their peculiar cap.
王之藎臣。 O ye loyal ministers of the king,
無念爾祖。 Ever think of your ancestor!
無念爾祖。 Ever think of your ancestor,
聿脩厥德。 Cultivating your virtue,
永言配命。 Always striving to accord with the will [of Heaven].
自求多福。 So shall you be seeking for much happiness.
殷之未喪師。 Before Yin lost the multitudes,
克配上帝。 [Its kings] were the assessors fo God.
宜鑒于殷。 Look to Yin as a beacon;
駿命不易。 The great appointment is not easily [preserved].
命之不易。 The appointment is not easily [preserved],
無遏爾躬。 Do not cause your own extinction.
宣昭義問。 Display and make bright your righteousness and name,
有虞殷自天。 And look at [the fate of] Yin in the light of Heaven.
上天之載。 The doings of High Heaven,
無聲無臭。 Have neither sound nor smell.
儀刑文王。 Take your pattern from king Wen,
萬邦作孚。 And the myriad regions will repose confidence in you.
