| | 魯寡陶嬰: |
陶嬰者，魯陶門之女也。少寡，養幼孤，無強昆弟，紡績為產。魯人或聞其義，將求焉。 |
| | Tao Ying was a daughter of Lu Tao Men. She became a widow at an early age and raised her young orphans without any strong brothers to rely on, supporting herself by spinning and weaving. Some people from Lu heard of her virtue and wished to seek her out.
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| | 魯寡陶嬰: |
嬰聞之，恐不得免，作歌，明己之不更二也。其歌曰：「悲黃鵠之早寡兮，七年不雙。宛鵛獨宿兮，不與眾同。夜半悲鳴兮，想其故雄。天命早寡兮，獨宿何傷。寡婦念此兮，泣下數行。嗚呼悲兮，死者不可忘。飛鳥尚然兮，況於貞良。雖有賢雄兮，終不重行。」魯人聞之曰：「斯女不可得已。」遂不敢復求。嬰寡，終身不改。君子謂陶嬰貞壹而思。《》云：「心之憂兮，我歌且謠。」此之謂也。 |
| | Ying, upon hearing this, feared she could not avoid it, so she composed a song to clarify that she would never remarry. Her song said: "Alas for the yellow crane who became a widow so young, seven years have passed without a mate." "The mandarin duck dwells alone in its nest, not sharing with others." "At midnight it mournfully cries out, thinking of its former mate." "Destiny decreed an early widowhood; what harm is there in living alone?" "The widow thinking of this weeps in torrents." "Alas, how sad! The departed cannot be forgotten." Even flying birds behave thus; how much more so for the chaste and virtuous. "Though there may be a worthy mate, I will never remarry." The people of Lu heard this and said: "This woman cannot be obtained." Thus, they dared not seek her again. Ying remained a widow and never changed her resolve. The gentlemen said that Tao Ying was faithful and thoughtful. "The Book of Songs" says: "My heart is full of sorrow; I sing and chant my grief." This was what it meant.
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| | 魯寡陶嬰: |
頌曰：陶嬰少寡，紡績養子，或欲取焉，乃自脩理，作歌自明，求者乃止，君子稱揚，以為女紀。 |
| | Eulogy: Tao Ying became a widow at a young age, supporting her children through spinning and weaving. Some wished to take her in marriage, but she refined herself and composed a song to clarify her intentions; those who sought her then ceased their pursuit. The gentlemen praised her, regarding her as an exemplar for women.
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