| | 月令: |
是月也，天氣下降，地氣上騰，天地和同，草木萌動。王命布農事，命田舍東郊，皆修封疆，審端經術。善相丘陵阪險原隰土地所宜，五穀所殖，以教道民，必躬親之。田事既飭，先定準直，農乃不惑。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In this month the vapours of heaven descend and those of the earth ascend. Heaven and earth are in harmonious co-operation. All plants bud and grow. The king gives orders to set forward the business of husbandry. The inspectors of the fields are ordered to reside in the lands having an eastward exposure, and (see that) all repair the marches and divisions (of the o-round), and mark out clearly the paths and ditches. They must skilfully survey the mounds and rising grounds, the slopes and defiles, the plains and marshes, determining what the different lands are suitable for, and where the different grains will grow best. They must thus instruct and lead on the people, themselves also engaging in the tasks. The business of the fields being thus ordered, the guiding line is first put in requisition, and the husbandry is carried on without error. |
| | 月令: |
孟春行夏令，則雨水不時，草木蚤落，國時有恐。行秋令則其民大疫，猋風暴雨總至，藜莠蓬蒿并興。行冬令則水潦為敗，雪霜大摯，首種不入。 |
| Yue Ling: |
If in the first month of spring the governmental proceedings proper to summer were carried out, the rain would fall unseasonably, plants and trees would decay prematurely, and the states would be kept in continual fear. If the proceedings proper to autumn were carried out, there would be great pestilence among the people; boisterous winds would work their violence; rain would descend in torrents; orach, fescue, darnel, and southernwood would grow up together. If the proceedings proper to winter were carried out, pools of water would produce their destructive effects, snow and frost would prove very injurious, and the first sown seeds would not enter the ground. |
| | 月令: |
季春行冬令，則寒氣時發，草木皆肅，國有大恐。行夏令，則民多疾疫，時雨不降，山林不收。行秋令，則天多沉陰，淫雨蚤降，兵革并起。 |
| Yue Ling: |
If, in this last month of spring, the governmental proceedings proper to winter were observed, cold airs would constantly be prevailing; all plants and trees would decay; and in the states there would be great terrors. If those proper to summer were observed, many of the people would suffer from pestilential diseases; the seasonable rains would not fall; and no produce would be derived from the mountains and heights. If those proper to autumn were observed, the sky would be full of moisture and gloom; excessive rains would fall early; and warlike movements would be everywhere arising. |
| | 月令: |
是月也，聚畜百藥。靡草死，麥秋至。斷薄刑，決小罪，出輕系。蠶事畢，后妃獻繭。乃收繭稅，以桑為均，貴賤長幼如一，以給郊廟之服。 |
| Yue Ling: |
In this month they collect and store up the various medicinal herbs. Delicate herbs (now) die; it is the harvest time (even) of the wheat. They decide cases for which the punishments are light; they make short work of small crimes, and liberate those who are in prison for slight offences. When the work with the silk-worms is over, the queen presents her cocoons; and the tithe-tax of cocoons generally is collected, according to the number of mulberry trees; for noble and mean, for old and young there is one law. The object is with such cocoons to provide materials for the robes to be used at the sacrifices in the suburbs and in the ancestral temple. |
| | 月令: |
孟夏行秋令，則苦雨數來，五穀不滋，四鄙入保。行冬令，則草木蚤枯，後乃大水，敗其城郭。行春令，則蝗蟲為災，暴風來格，秀草不實。 |
| Yue Ling: |
If, in this first month of summer, the proceedings proper to autumn were observed, pitiless rains would be frequent; the five esculent plants would not grow large, and in all the borders people would have to enter the places of shelter. If those proper to winter were observed, all plants and trees would wither early, and afterwards, there would be great floods, destroying city and suburban walls. If those proper to spring were observed, there would be the calamity of locusts, violent winds would come, and plants in flower would not go on to seed. |
