Shi Jing: Guanju (From Classical Chinese)

Guanju: Song in Honor of a Young Couple
From the Shi Jing (c. 800 BC)
Translated by A.Z. Foreman

Kron Kron, Come Come!　the fishawks chant　
　On sandbanks 　in the river-straight
Gentle maiden 　pure and fair　
　For a noble man　a fair sole mate

Small and tall 　the floating heartweed 　
　Left and right　we seek it deep
Gentle maiden　pure and fair　
　One man's most wanted　awake or asleep

He wanted you　but found you not　
　Awake and asleep　of you he thought
Of you he thought　so long and hard　
　Tossing and churning　came to naught

Small and tall　the floating heartweed 　
　Left and right　we pull its ends
Gentle maiden　pure and fair　
　With heart and lute　we bring you friends

Small and tall　the floating heartweed 　
　We're pulled to cull it　left and right
Gentle maiden　pure and fair　
　With bell and drum　do you delight

The Original:

關關雎鳩、

在河之洲。

窈窕淑女、

君子好逑。

參差荇菜、

左右流之。

窈窕淑女、

寤寐求之。

求之不得、

寤寐思服。

悠哉悠哉、

輾轉反側。

參差荇菜、

左右采之。

窈窕淑女、

琴瑟友之。

參差荇菜、

左右芼之。

窈窕淑女、

鍾鼓樂之。