Wen Fu 6 [文赋六] “Modes of Writing” by Lu Ji [陆机]

Poetry is poignant and ornate;
Essays are deep and content-centric.
Stele entries are true to the essence;
Paeans, moving and melancholic.
Inscriptions are concise and kindly;
Telltales have a logic and cadence.
Odes show great grace and refinement;
Op-eds are unrepressed and intense.
Music 's penetrating and stately;
Speeches must sparkle with cleverness.
Though there ever so many forms,
All thwart evil and allow release:
Expression, sans pride overweening,
With no waste of words or lost meaning.

Original in Simplified Chinese:

诗缘情而绮靡,赋体物而浏亮。
碑披文以相质,诔缠绵而凄怆。
铭博约而温润,箴顿挫而清壮。
颂优游以彬蔚,论精微而朗畅。
奏平彻以闲雅,说炜晔而谲诳。
虽区分之在兹,亦禁邪而制放。
要辞达而理举,故无取乎冗长。