Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 3.djvu/114

 When there are lofty roofs and carved walls;— The existence of any one of these things Has never been but the prelude to ruin.'

The third said,

There was the lord of Thâo and Thang ,

Now we have fallen from his ways, And thrown into confusion his rules and laws;— The consequence is extinction and ruin.'

The fourth said,

Sovereign of the myriad regions. He had canons, he had patterns, Which he transmitted to his posterity. The standard stone and the equalizing quarter Were in the royal treasury. Wildly have we dropt the clue he gave us, Overturning our temple, and extinguishing our sacrifices.'*

The fifth said,

The thoughts in my breast make me sad. All the people are hostile to us; On whom can we rely? Anxieties crowd together in our hearts; Thick as are our faces, they are covered with blushes. We have not been careful of our virtue; And though we repent, we cannot overtake the past.'