I Undisciplined

The wild beast snorts, horns projected fiercely;

The crazy black ox; energy undirected. Frantically runs to and fro to nowhere.

Over the valley moves a dark thunderous cloud.

The destructive hooves, trampling the delicate flora.

II Discipline Begun

The oxen, restrained by the nose with a rope,

Attempts to flee, whipped, whipped, severely beaten.

The powerful creature naturally wild and resistant to training,

The trainer unrelenting with his firm grip and striking whip.

III In Harness

Slowly becoming comfortable led by the nose,

From the mountain top, down valley and by stream, the ox contentedly follows.

The leader holds the straw rope tight,

One foot in front of the other, aware all day long except of his own fatigue.

IV Faced Round

The benefits of training begin to show as the ox is faced round,

The fierce and dominant beast has now melted into a gentle creature.

Although now broken, the trainer does not give the ox his full trust.

The ox is tied to a tree with the straw rope the master still keeps.

V Tamed

Under the breezy willow and by the shimmering stream,

The oxen is free to persue what he desires with his free time,

Come dusk, a haze falls over the pasture,

The boy stands and heads home, animal not hesitating to follow calmly.

VI Unimpeded

On the peaceful pastures the beast whiles away the time,

Confidence consolidated, restraint free forever, the whip is no longer required.

The boy can now relax under the pine tree,

His happiness expressed by his playing of peaceful music.

VII Laissez Faire

The receding sun, silhuoeting willows above the sleepy spring stream,

The misty atmosphere illuminates the grown grass of the meadow.

Now trusted, the animal eats when hungry, drinks when thirsty, and rests at lesuire.

The boy now sleeps for hours and hours, not worrying.

VIII All Forgotten

Encompassed by the white clouds the beast is all white,

Now comfortable companions the man is care-free.

The moon penetrates the white clouds and casts their white shadows.

The white clouds and bright moon set in their motion.

IX The Solitary Moon

The beast has disappeared, the man is the commander of his time,

He alone, gently drifting along the mountain tops, is a solitary cloud,

Dancing raising his hands up he sings in the moon-beam,

Recollecting that he has a final obstacle hindering his walk home.

X Both Vanished

Empty, both gone, steps without trace,

Full moon upon the lake, no impression, nothing to carry,

What comes of its meaning,

Nothing to own, offer the flowers.