A long time ago,

The earth was filled with trees,

Beneath the trees were grasses,

Beside the grasses, flowers,

And for every flower, a butterfly;

But not simply butterflies,

Still there were honeybees;

Still there were martens, na!

Still there were monkeys, na!

Still there were rabbits, na!

Still there were pheasants, na!

Still there were panthers, na!

Still there were tigers, na!

There were all the earth’s myriad beings,

Of each and every kind.
 

All the earth’s myriad beings

Depend on the sun that they live,

Depend on the waters that they live.

Having the warmth of the sun,

The trees grow tall,

The grasses flourish,

The flowers blossom beautifully;

With such clear, clear waters,

The crops grow tall,

The cattle and sheep grow fat,

A hundred sorts of birds do sing.
 

The earth’s people, ah!

Depend on the trees to live,

Depend on the waters to live,

Depend on the flowers to live.

The trees cover the mountainsides,

The waters flow beneath,

The flowers spread about everywhere.
 

The earth’s people, ah!

Depend on the mountains to live.

The mountains are high and many,

There are nine mountains,

Amidst ninety-nine dark green mountains,

Amidst ninety-nine bright green mountain ridges.

The greatest is that mountain,

A place where people live;

The highest is that mountain ridge,

Where the forbears of the Yi people lived,

In that single place.
 

The earth’s people, ah!

Depend on the waters to live.

The waters join into rivers,

There are nine rivers,

Amidst ninety-nine long rivers,

Amidst ninety-nine great rivers.

There is the widest of the rivers,

There is the deepest of the rivers.

In the widest of the rivers,

Is the Dragons’ dwelling place;

In the deepest of the rivers,

Is the Dragon King’s dwelling place.
 

The forbears of the Yi tribe,

Opened the high mountain wilderness;

The Yi tribe’s children’s children,

On each riverbank graze cattle and sheep.