Original poem:
A herd of deer, yo, ate mugwort in Ye Yuan. I have a group of good guests, playing the piano and playing the piano. A blowing sheng reed, a basket of gifts. People are very kind to me, just like showing me the way.
A herd of deer, suffering in Ye Yuan. I have a group of good guests and noble character. Xiunan's example is not frivolous, and gentlemen and sages follow suit. I have good wine and spirits, entertaining guests and having fun.
A herd of deer, yo, were eaten by the Qin army. I have a group of good guests, playing the harp and playing music. Playing the harp and piano, playing music, enjoying joy and laughter. I have good wine and good wine, and I have dinner guests in my heart.
Translation:
A group of deer are chirping and eating mugwort leaves leisurely on the Yuan Ye. Once talented people from all over the world come to our home, I will entertain guests in blowing sheng. A blowing sheng tube vibrates reeds, holding a basket and offering a thoughtful gift. People are really friendly to me, and I am instructed to follow them.
A herd of deer are chirping and eating wormwood leisurely in Yuan Ye. Once talented people from all directions arrive at home, they will be noble and brilliant. Setting an example for others is not frivolous, and gentlemen and sages have followed suit. I have good wine, fragrant and mellow, to entertain guests.
A herd of deer are chirping and eating Cao Qin leisurely on the Yuan Ye. Once talented people from all over the world come home, they will play the harp and piano. Play the piano, invite each other frequently, and entertain yourself harmoniously. I have delicious and mellow wine to entertain guests.
Poetry appreciation
This is the court music song of Zhou Dynasty banquet guests. There are three chapters in this poem, and each chapter is inspired by Luming Literature's company, expressing the desire of talented people to take pleasure in customers and seek "guidance". Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of the Three Kingdoms, knew this clearly. He used the first four sentences of this poem to express his ambition of recruiting talents to pacify the world.
The three chapters of the whole poem adopt repetitive sentence patterns, that is, by repeatedly singing the same melody to express the strong feelings of having fun with the guests, and by appropriately changing words and expressions to express the process of feasting, the deeper the drinking, the stronger the feelings.