In Memory of My Sister Mrs. Cheng
祭程氏妹文
On this day of May 6th of the third year of Yixi in the Jin Dynasty, my younger sister Mrs.Cheng has been dead for eighteen months. I pay tribute to you with the sacrifice of a sheep and a hog, by bowing to you and spraying the wine on the soil. Alas! What a great woe that is tormenting me!
维晋义熙三年五月甲辰，程氏妹服制再周，渊明以少牢 之奠，俯而爾之。呜呼哀哉！
With the coming and going of winters and summers, time elapses swiftly. Dusts have heaped on the beams and the yard has been deserted and left to weeds. Your house is now vacant and your orphan is left in misery. When I pay tribute to you with wine, I do not know where the dead is lodging.
寒往暑来，日月寖疏。梁尘委积，庭草荒芜。寥寥空 室，哀牧遗孤3肴觞虚奠，人逝焉如！
Who has no brothers and sisters? Who has no siblings? Between you and me, there is a deeper affection than ordinary siblings. Our mother died too early, leaving us behind as small children. I was twelve years old and you were nine years old. From our ignorant childhood, we learned to love each other and care for each other. Oh, my worthy sister of virtue and chastity! You were modest and reticent, glad to hear about good deeds. Righteous and mild，you adhered to fraternity and piety. You con-f orm to the rules of a lady, a perfect model for all the ladies. I have heard that bliss falls on those who have done good deeds，but why has the heaven shown prejudice to you and not given you good requite?
谁无兄弟，人亦同生，嗟我与尔，特百常情。慈妣早世，时尚孺婴。我年二六，尔才九龄。 爰从靡识， 抚髫相成。咨尔令妹，有德有操。靖恭鲜言，闻善则乐。 能正能和，惟友惟孝。行止中闺，可象可效。 我闻为善，庆内己蹈。彼苍何偏，而不斯报！
Our mother died when we were living in Jiangling. While our brothers lived in different places and were separated by long distances, you and I lived together for a period of time，sharing sorrows and griefs in our hearts. When dark clouds rolled in the sky, the winter moon looked cold and pale; when white snow covered the morning ground, the wintry wind wailed above. We kowtowed and wept in sadness, crying out our eyes. The remote past still live in my memory, your letters still lie before my eyes, your orphan is standing in front of me. Why should you be gone, never to return? When are you to visit this quiet house again? Whom is your helpless orphan girl to rely on? Who is to mourn your wandering soul? What is to be done? My dear sister Mrs. Cheng! You will lie forever under the earth. If the deceased have consciousness, we shall meet someday in the graveyard. Alas! What a great woe that is tormenting me!
昔在江陵，重罹天罚。兄弟索居，乖隔楚越。伊我与 尔，百哀是切。黯黯高云，萧萧冬月，白雪掩晨，长风悲 节。感惟崩号，兴言泣血。寻念平昔，触事未远。书疏犹存，遗孤满眼。如何一 往，终天不返！寂寂高堂，何时复践？藐藐孤女，曷依曷恃？ 栽茕游魂，谁主谁祀？奈何程妹，于此永已！死如有知，相见 蒿里。呜呼哀哉！