关雎

关关雎鸠，在河之洲。

窈窕淑女，君子好逑。

参差荇菜，左右流之。

窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。

求之不得，寤寐思服。

悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧。

参差荇菜，左右采之。

窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。

参差荇菜，左右芼之。

窈窕淑女，钟鼓乐之。

译本一 许渊冲

Cooing and Wooing

By riverside a pair

Of turtledoves are cooing;

There is a maiden fair

Whom a young man is wooing.

Water flows left and right

Of cresses here and there;

The youth yearns day and night

For the maiden so fair.

His yearning grows so strong,

He cannot fall asleep,

But tosses all night long,

So deep in love, so deep!

Now gather left and right

Cress long or short and tender!

O lute, play music light

For the fiancée so slender!

Feast friends at left and right

On cresses cooked tender!

O bells and drums, delight

The bride so sweet and slender!

译本二 Arthur Waley

The Ospreys Cry

“Fair, fair,” cry the ospreys

On the island in the river.

Lovely is this noble lady,

Fit bride for our lord.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must seek it.

Shy was this noble lady;

Day and night he sought her.

Sought her and could not get her;

Day and night he grieved.

Long thoughts, oh, long unhappy thoughts,

Now on his back, now tossing on to his side.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must gather it.

Shy is this noble lady;

With great zither and little we hearten her.

In patches grows the water mallow;

To left and right one must choose it.

Shy is this noble lady;

With bells and drums we will gladden her.