周南 (THE ODES OF ZHOU AND THE SOUTH)
1. 关睢 GUAN SUI
关关雎鸠、在河之洲。
窈宨淑女、君子好逑。
参差荇菜、左右流之。
窈宨淑女、寤寐求之。
求之不得、寤寐思服。
悠哉悠哉、辗转反侧。
参差荇菜、左右采之。
窈宨淑女、琴瑟友之。
参差荇菜、左右芼之。
窈宨淑女、 钟鼓乐之。
Guan-guan go the ospreys ,
On the islet in the river .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
For our prince a good mate she .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ,
To the left , to the right , borne about by the current .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
Waking and sleeping , he sought her .
He sought her and found her not ,
And waking and sleeping he thought about her .
Long he thought ; oh ! long and anxiously ;
On his side , on his back , he turned , and back again .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ;
On the left , on the right , we gather it .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
With lutes , small and large , let us give her friendly welcome .
Here long , there short , is the duckweed ;
On the left , on the right , we cook and present it .
The modest , retiring , virtuous , young lady : --
With bells and drums let us show our delight in her .
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2. 葛覃 GE TAN
葛之覃兮、施于中谷。
维叶萋萋、黄鸟于飞。
集于灌木、其鸣喈喈。
葛之覃兮、施于中谷。
维叶莫莫、是刈是濩。
为絺为绤、服之无斁。
言告师氏、言告言归。
薄污我私、薄澣我衣。
害澣害否、归宁父母 。
How the dolichos spread itself out ,
Extending to the middle of the valley !
Its leaves were luxuriant ;
The yellow birds flew about ,
And collected on the thickly growing trees ,
Their pleasant notes resounding far .
How the dolichos spread itself out ,
Extending to the middle of the valley !
Its leaves were luxuriant and dense .
I cut it and I boiled it ,
And made both fine cloth and coarse ,
Which I will wear without getting tired of it .
I have told the matron ,
Who will announce that I am going to see my parents .
I will wash my private clothes clean ,
And I will rinse my robes .
Which need to be rinsed , which do not ?
I am going back to visit my parents.
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3. 卷耳 JUAN ER
采采卷耳、不盈顷筐。
嗟我怀人、寘彼周行。
陟彼崔嵬、我马虺隤。
我姑酌彼金罍、维以不永怀。
陟彼高冈、我马玄黄。
我姑酌彼兕觥、维以不永伤。
陟彼砠矣、我马瘏矣、我仆痡矣、云何吁矣。
I was gathering and gathering the mouse-ear ,
But could not fill my shallow basket .
With a sigh for the man of my heart ,
I placed it there on the highway .
I was ascending that rock-covered height ,
But my horses were too tired to breast it .
I will now pour a cup from that gilded vase ,
Hoping I may not have to think of him long .
I was ascending that lofty ridge ,
But my horses turned of a dark yellow .
I will now take a cup from that rhinoceros' horn ,
Hoping I may not have long to sorrow .
I was ascending that flat-topped height ,
But my horses became quite disabled ,
And my servants were [also] disabled .
Oh ! how great is my sorrow !
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4. 樛木 JIU MU
南有樛木、葛藟累之。
乐只君子、福履绥之。
南有樛木、葛藟荒之。
乐只君子、福履将之。
南有樛木、葛藟萦之。
乐只君子、福履成之。
In the south are trees with curved drooping branches ,
With the doliches creepers clinging to them .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she repose in her happiness and dignity !
In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches ,
Covered by the dolichos creepers .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she be great in her happiness and dignity !
In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches ,
Round which the dolichos creepers twine .
To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
May she be complete in her happiness and dignity !
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5. 螽斯 ZHONG SI
螽斯羽、诜诜兮。
宜尔子孙、振振兮。
螽斯羽、薨薨兮。
宜尔子孙、绳绳兮。
螽斯羽、揖揖兮。
宜尔子孙、蛰蛰兮。
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How harmoniously you collect together !
Right is it that your descendants
Should be multitudinous !
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How sound your wings in flight !
Right is it that your descendents
Should be as in unbroken strings !
Ye locusts , winged tribes ,
How you cluster together !
Right is it that your descendents
Should be in swarms !
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6. 桃夭 TAO YAO
桃之夭夭、灼灼其华。
之子于归、宜其家室。
桃之夭夭、有蕡其实。
之子于归、宜其室家。
桃之夭夭、其叶蓁蓁。
之子于归、宜其家人。
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Brilliant are its flowers .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her chamber and house .
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Abundant will be its fruits .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her chamber and house .
The peach tree is young and elegant ;
Luxuriant are its leaves .
This young lady is going to her future home ,
And will order well her family .
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7. 兔罝 TU JU
肃肃兔罝、椓之丁丁。
赳赳武夫、公侯干城。
肃肃兔罝、施于中逵。
赳赳武夫、公侯好仇。
肃肃兔罝、施于中林。
赳赳武夫、公侯腹心。
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ;
Clang clang go the blows on the pegs .
That stalwart , martial man
Might be shield and wall to his prince .
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ,
And placed where many ways meet .
That stalwart , martial man
Would be a good companion for his prince .
Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets ,
And placed in the midst of the forest .
That stalwart , martial man
Might be head and heart to his prince .
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8. 芣苡 FOU YI
采采芣苡、薄言采之。
采采芣苡、薄言有之。
采采芣苡、薄言掇之。
采采芣苡、薄言捋之。
采采芣苡、薄言袺之。
采采芣苡、薄言襭之。
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we may gather them .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we have got them .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we pluck the ears .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we rub out the seeds .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we place the seeds in our skirts .
We gather and gather the plantains ;
Now we tuck out skirts under our girdles .
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9. 汉广 HAN GUANG
南有乔木、不可休息。
汉有游女、不可求思。
汉之广矣、不可泳思。
江之永矣、不可方思。
翘翘错薪、言刈其楚。
之子于归、言秣其马。
汉之广矣、不可泳思。
江之永矣、不可方思。
翘翘错薪、言刈其蒌 。
之子于归、言秣其驹 。
汉之广矣、不可泳思 。
江之永矣、不可方思 。
In the south rise the trees without branches ,
Affording no shelter .
By the Han are girls rambling about ,
But it is vain to solicit them .
The breath of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
Many are the bundles of firewood ;
I would cut down the thorns [to form more] .
Those girls that are going to their future home , --
I would feed their horses .
The breadth of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang ,
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
Many are the bundles of firewood ;
I would cut down the southern wood [to form more] .
Those girls that are going to their future home , --
I would feed their colts .
The breadth of the Han
Cannot be dived across ;
The length of the Jiang
Cannot be navigated with a raft .
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10. 汝坟 RU FEN
遵彼汝坟、伐其条枚。
未见君子、惄如调饥。
遵彼汝坟、伐其条肆。
既见君子、不我遐弃。
鲂鱼赪尾、王室如毁 。
虽则如毁、父母孔迩 。
Along those raised banks of the Ru ,
I cut down the branches and slender stems .
While I could not see my lord ,
I felt as it were pangs of great hunger .
Along those raised banks of the Ru ,
I cut down the branches and fresh twigs .
I have seen my lord ;
He has not cast me away .
The bream is showing its tail all red ;
The royal House is like a blazing fire .
Though it be like a blazing fire ,
Your parents are very near .
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11. 麟之趾 LIN ZHI ZHI
麟之趾、振振公子。
于嗟麟兮。
麟之定、振振公姓。
于嗟麟兮。
麟之角、振振公族。
于嗟麟兮。
The feet of the Lin : --
The noble sons of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
The forehead of the Lin : --
The noble grandsons of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
The horn of the Lin : --
The noble kindred of our prince ,
Ah ! they are the Lin !
