ANONYMOUS - Book of Songs/Shi Jing
Merrily the ospreys cry
On the islet in the stream.
Gentle and graceful is the girl,
A fit wife for the gentleman.
Short and long the floating water plants.
Left and right you may pluck them.
Gentle and graceful is the girl,
Awake he longs for her and in his dreams.
When the courtship has failed,
Awake he thinks of her and in his dreams.
Filled with sorrowful thoughts,
He tosses about unable to sleep.
Short and long the floating water plants,
Left and right you may gather them.
Gentle and graceful is the girl,
He'd like to wed her, the qin and se playing.
Short and long the floating water plants,
Left and right you may collect them.
Gentle and graceful is the girl,
He 'd like to marry her, bells and drums beating.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, let’s pick them up.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, We must have them.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, let’s pluck them up.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, let’s rub off their seeds.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, let’s carry them with our skirts.
Let’s gather and gather the plantains;
Come, let’s bring them back.
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who forgot his home and course.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And why he refuses to come into my room?
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who forgot my love and grace.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
Why he leaves me alone in my empty room?
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
Your great lights shining upon earth.
But I have never seen such man,
Who lost his honor and Heaven’s bliss.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And I should forget him, away with sorrow.
Sun and moon, listen to my grievance!
You rise from east with shining rays.
Ah- my daddy and my mommy,
My husband loves me no more.
He keeps not vow of husband and wife,
And I will not suffer in sorrow any more!
Banging the Drum
Banging the drum, dang, dang, dang,
Eager soldiers raise their arms.
They all fortify our citadel and canals,
But I follow my regiment to the south.
I serve my general Sun Zi Zhong,
To make peace for State of Chen and Song.
For our engagement that I cannot return,
So I am in worry and anxiety.
Where I shall look for shelters?
Where I will find my horse?
And how I should search?
Maybe the answer is hiding in the woods.
“Our vow is beyond death and life”,
I and you are together I always remembered.
I will hold your hand,
And together we grow old.
Too pitiful we are faraway apart,
The distance separates us to meet again!
Too miserable this takes forever,
And it does not let us fulfill our vow!
Streaming Wind
Screaming, screeching, the streaming wind,
It is cloudy, rainy, and gloomy sky.
Husband and wife shall encourage each other,
They should not have any angers and blame.
As if we gather cabbages and radishes,
That we shall not throw away their roots.
Let us not forget our graceful words:
“Be with you together until our death!”
As I walked on my road slowly,
But my feet and heart are in disagreeing.
I do not wish you to go with me for long,
But I never expected you just stopped by the door.
Who said the edible plant is so bitter?
But to me it is sweet as shepherd's purse.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
And you two are so close and brotherly.
River Wei joins into river Jing, defiled her surface,
But the bottom of river Jing is still very clear.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
But please stop saying that I am unclean.
Please do not come to my fishing dam,
Please do not lift up my fishing baskets.
Even you do not respect my faithfulness,
Who would care about my name and family?
Marriage is river where is too deep,
Then we shall cross it in a boat.
Marriage is river where is shallow,
Then we shall swim to across it.
If we really lack or need anything,
Then we shall seek it in strength and heart.
Even our neighbor meet any disaster,
We offer our hands in crawling or running.
If you really do not love me I understand,
But why you look at me as if I’m your enemy.
All my love and grace you never accepted,
As if I’m junk that no one is willing to bid.
Our past life were in suffering of poverty,
We supported each other to overcome all troubles.
Now your life is in a good and easy shape,
But you compare me to a venomous insect.
I am like a preserved dry vegetable you stored,
That just for you to get pass the winter season.
Your new marriage is feasting in happiness,
But please do not use me to prevent poverty,
Please stop venting and ranting at me.
Please do not force me into any heavy labor.
All our past love and goodwill are forgotten,
And your grace and my love are gone and vanished
Chop, chop
Chop ,chop ,we cut down the elms
And pile the wood on the bank,
By the waters clear and rippling.
They neither sow nor reap;
How then have they three hundred sheaves of corn?
They neither hunt nor chase;
How then do we see badgers hanging in their courtyards?
Ah,those lords
They do not need to work for their food!
Chop, chop, we cut wood for wheel-spokes
And pile it on the shore,
By the waters clear and flowing.
They neither sow nor reap;
How then have they three hundred stacks of corn?
They neither hunt nor chase;
How then do we see bulls hanging in their courtyards?
Ah, those lords
They do not need to work to eat!
Chop, chop, we cut hard wood for wheels
And pile it at the river's brink,
By the waters clear and dimpling.
They neither sow nor reap;
How then have they three hundred ricks of corn?
They neither hunt nor chase;
How then do we see quails hanging in their courtyards?
Ah, those lords
They do not have to work to live!
How long grows the southernwood
How long grows the southernwood,
With the dew lying on it so bright !
Now that I see my noble men,
My heart is entirely satisfied.
As we feast, we laugh and talk ; –
It is right they should have fame and prosperity !
How long grows the southernwood,
With the dew lying on it so abundantly !
Now that I see my noble men,
I appreciate their favour and their brightness.
Their virtue is without taint of error ; –
May they live long, and not be forgotten !
How high is the southernwood,
All wet with the fallen dew !
Now that I see my noble men,
Grandly we feast, delighted and complacent.
May their relations with their brothers be right !
May they be happy in their excellent virtue to old age !
How high is the southernwood,
With the dew lying on it so richly !
I have seen my noble men,
With the ends of their reins hanging down,
With the bells tinkling on their cross-boards and bits.
May all happiness gather upon them.
By the shores of that marsh,
There are rushes and lotus plants.
There is the beautiful lady ; –
I am tortured for her, but what avails it ?
Waking or sleeping, I do nothing ;
From my eyes and nose the water streams.
By the shores of that marsh,
There are rushes and the valerian.
There is the beautiful lady ;
Tall and large, and elegant.
Waking or sleeping, I do nothing ;
My inmost heart is full of grief.
By the shores of that marsh,
There are rushes and lotus flowers.
There is the beautiful lady ;
Tall and large, and majestic.
Waking or sleeping, I do nothing ;
On my side, on my back, with my face on the pillow, I lie.