鬯者，百草之本也。
A hundred different herbs are used to make this wine.
上暢於天，下暢於地，無所不暢，故天子以鬯為贄。
Above, it is able to blend with heaven; and, below, it is able to blend with earth.
諸侯以圭為贄。
There is nothing with which it does not blend, so the Son of Heaven uses it as a gift.
圭者，玉也。
Regional lords use jade emblems33 as gifts.
薄而不撓，廉而不劌。
Being made of jade, these emblems, though thin, do not bend; and, though their angles are sharply pointed, they do no injury to others.
有瑕於中，必見於外。
If there is a blemish on the inside, it will necessarily appear on the surface; therefore, the regional lords use objects of jade to present to others as gifts.
故諸侯以玉為贄。
Great ministers of state use lambs34 as gifts.
卿以羔為贄。
Lambs are sheep.
羔者，羊也。
Sheep form flocks but not factions; thus, great ministers of state use them as gifts.
羊群而不黨，故卿以為贄。
Court officers use wild geese (yan 雁) as gifts.
大夫以鴈為贄。
When wild geese gather in formations, they observe distinctions of seniority, so court officers use them as gifts.
鴈者，行列有長幼之禮，故大夫以為贄。
Men-of-service use pheasants (zhi 雉) as gifts.
士以雉為贄。
Pheasants cannot be tempted into a cage with food, so men-of-service use them as gifts.
雉者，不可指食籠狎而服之，故士以雉為贄。
Commoners use wild ducks (wu 鶩) as gifts.
庶人以鶩為贄。
Wild ducks fly in a leisurely and sedate manner.
鶩者，鶩鶩也。
Those who are leisurely and sedate have no secret schemes, so commoners use these birds as gifts.
鶩鶩無它心，故庶人以鶩為贄。
贄者，所以質也。
Gifts are used to express the essential condition of the giver.