It floats about, that boat of cypress wood; Yea, it floats about on the current. Disturbed am I and sleepless, As if suffering from a painful wound. It is not because I have no wine, And that I might not wander and saunder about.

My mind is not a mirror; - It cannot [equally] receive [all impressions]. I, indeed, have brothers, But I cannot depend on them, I meet with their anger.

My mind is not a stone; - It cannot be rolled about. My mind is not a mat; - It cannot be rolled up. My deportment has been dignified and good, With nothing wrong which can be pointed out.

My anxious heart is full of trouble; I am hated by the herd of mean creatures; I meet with many distresses; I receive insults not a few. Silently I think of my case, And, starting as from sleep, I beat my breast.

There are the sun and moon, - How is it that the former has become small, and not the latter? The sorrow cleaves to my heart, Like an unwashed dress. Silently I think of my case, But I cannot spread my wings and fly away.

Green is the upper robe, Green with a yellow lining! The sorrow of my heart, - How can it cease?

Green is the upper robe, Green the upper, and yellow the lower garment! The sorrow of my heart, - How can it be forgotten?

[Dyed] green has been the silk; - It was you who did it. [But] I think of the ancients, That I may be kept from doing wrong.

Linen, fine or coarse, Is cold when worn in the wind. I think of the ancients, And find what is in my heart.

The swallows go flying about, With their wings unevenly displayed. The lady was returning [to her native state], And I escorted her far into the country. I looked till I could no longer see her, And my tears fell down like rain.

The swallows go flying about, Now up, now down. The lady was returning [to her native state], And far did I accompany her. I looked till I could no longer see her, And long I stood and wept.

The swallows go flying about; From below, from above, comes their twittering. The lady was returning [to her native state], And far did I escort her to the south. I looked till I could no longer see her, And great was the grief of my heart.

Lovingly confiding was lady Zhong; Truly deep was her feeling. Both gentle was she and docile, Virtuously careful of her person. In thinking of our deceased lord, She stimulated worthless me.

O sun; O moon, Which enlighten this lower earth! Here is the man, Who treats me not according to the ancient rule. How can he get his mind settled? Would he then not regard me?

O sun; O moon, Which overshadow this lower earth! Here is this man, Who will not be friendly with me. How can he get his mind settled? Would he then not respond to me?

O sun; O moon, Which come forth from the east! Here is the man, With virtuous words, but really not good. How can he get his mind settled? Would he then allow me to be forgotten?

O sun; o moon, From the east which come forth! O father, O mother, There is no sequel to your nourishing of me. How can he get his mind settled? Would he then respond to me, contrary to all reason?

The wind blows and is fierce, He looks at me and smiles, With scornful words and dissolute, - the smile of pride. To the center of my heart I am grieved.

The wind blows, with clouds of dust. Kindly he seems to be willing to come to me; [But] he neither goes nor comes. Long, long, do I think of him.

The wind blew, and the sky was cloudy; Before a day elapses, it is cloudy again. I awake, and cannot sleep; I think of him, and gasp.

All cloudy is the darkness, And the thunder keeps muttering. I awake and cannot sleep; I think of him, and my breast is full of pain.

Hear the roll of our drums! See how we leap about, using our weapons! Those do the fieldwork in the State, or fortify Cao, While we alone march to the south.

We followed Sun Zizhong, Peace having been made with Chen and Song; [But] he did not lead us back, And our sorrowful hearts are very sad.

Here we stay, here we stop; Here we lose our horses; And we seek for them, Among the trees of the forest.

For life or for death, however separated, To our wives we pledged our word. We held their hands; - We were to grow old together with them.

Alas for our separation! We have no prospect of life. Alas for our stipulation! We cannot make it good.

The genial wind from the south Blows on the heart of that jujube tree, Till that heart looks tender and beautiful. What toil and pain did our mother endure!

The genial wind from the south Blows on the branches of that jujube tree, Our mother is wise and good; But among us there is none good.

There is the cool spring Below [the city of] Jun. We are seven sons, And our mother is full of pain and suffering.

The beautiful yellow birds Give forth their pleasant notes. We are seven sons, And cannot compose our mother's heart.

The male pheasant flies away, Lazily moving his wings. The man of my heart! - He has brought on us this separation.

The pheasant has flown away, But from below, from above, comes his voice. Ah! the princely man! - He afflicts my heart.

Look at that sun and moon! Long, long do I think. The way is distant; How can he come to me?

All ye princely men, Know ye not his virtuous conduct? He hates none; he covets nothing; - What does he which is not good?

The gourd has [still] its bitter leaves, And the crossing at the ford is deep. If deep, I will go through with my clothes on; If shallow, I will do so, holding them up.

The ford is full to overflowing; There is the note of the female pheasant. The full ford will not wet the axle of my carriage; It is the pheasant calling for her mate.

The wild goose, with its harmonious notes, At sunrise, with the earliest dawn, By the gentleman, who wishes to bring home his bride, [Is presented] before the ice is melted.

The boatman keeps beckoning; And others cross with him, but I do not. Others cross with him, but I do not; - I am waiting for my friend.

Gently blows the east wind, With cloudy skies and with rain. [Husband and wife] should strive to be of the same mind, And not let angry feelings arise. When we gather the mustard plant and earth melons, We do not reject them because of their roots. While I do nothing contrary to my good name, I should live with you till our death.

I go along the road slowly, slowly, In my inmost heart reluctant. Not far, only a little way, Did he accompany me to the threshold. Who says that the sowthistle is bitter? It is as sweet as the shepherd's purse. You feast with your new wife, [Loving] as brothers.

The muddiness of the Jing appears from the Wei, But its bottom may be seen about the islets. You feast with your new wife, And think me not worth being with Do not approach my dam, Do not move my basket. My person is rejected; - What avails it to care for what may come after?

Where the water was deep, I crossed it by a raft or a boat. Where it was shallow, I dived or swam across it. Whether we had plenty or not, I exerted myself to be getting. When among others there was a death, I crawled on my knees to help them.

You cannot cherish me, And you even count me as an enemy. You disdain my virtues, - A pedlar's wares which do not sell. Formerly, I was afraid our means might be exhausted, And I might come with you to destitution. Now, when your means are abundant, You compare me to poison.

My fine collection of vegetables, Is but a provision against the winter. Feasting with your new wife, You think of me as a provision [only] against your poverty. Cavalierly and angrily you treat me; You give me only pain. You do not think of the former days, And are only angry with me.

Reduced! Reduced! Why not return? If it were not for your sake, O prince, How should we be thus exposed to the dew?

Reduced! Reduced! Why not return? If it were not for your person, O prince, How should we be here in the mire?

The dolichos on that high and sloping mound; - How wide apart are [now] its joints! O ye uncles, Why have ye delayed these many days?

Why do they rest without stirring? It must be they expect allies. Why do they prolong the time? There must be a reason for their conduct.

Our fox-furs are frayed and worn. Came our carriages not eastwards? O ye uncles, You do not sympathize with us.

Fragments, and a remnant, Children of dispersion [are we]! O ye uncles, Notwithstanding your full robes, your ears are stopped.

Easy and indifferent! easy and indifferent! I am ready to perform in all dances, Then when the sun is in the meridian, There in that conspicious place.

With my large figure, I dance in the ducal courtyard. I am strong [also] as a tiger; The reins are in my grasp like ribbons.

In my left hand I grasp a flute; In my right I hold a pheasant's feather. I am red as if I were rouged; The duke gives me a cup [of spirits].

The hazel grows on the hills, And the liquorice in the marshes. Of whom are my thoughts? Of the fine men of the west. O those fine men! Those men of the west!

How the water bubbles up from that spring, And flows away to the Qi! My heart is in Wei; There is not a day I do not think of it. Admirable are those, my cousins; I will take counsel with them.

When I came forth, I lodged in Ji, And we drank the cup of convoy at Ni. When a young lady goes [to be married], She leaves her parents and brothers; [But] I would ask for my aunts, And then for my elder sister.

I will go forth and lodge in Gan, And we drink the cup of convoy at Yan. I will grease the axle and fix the pin, And the returning chariot will proceed. Quickly shall we arrive in Wei; - But would not this be wrong?

I think of the Feiquan, I am ever sighing about it. I think of Xu and Cao, Long, long, my heart dwells with them. Let me drive forth and travel there, To dissipate my sorrow.

I go out at the north gate, With my heart full of sorrow. Straitened am I and poor, And no one takes knowledge of my distress. So it is! Heaven has done it; - What then shall I say?

The king's business comes on me, And the affairs of our government in increasing measure. When I come home from abroad, The members of my family all emulously reproach me. So it is! Heaven has done it; - What then shall I say?

The king's business is thrown on me, And the affairs of our government are left to me more and more. When I come home from abroad, The members of my family all emulously thrust at me. So it is! Heaven has done it; - What then shall I say?

Cold blows the north wind; Thick falls the snow. Ye who love and regard me, Let us join hands and go together. Is it a time for delay? The urgency is extreme!

The north wind whistles; The snow falls and drifts about. Ye who love and regard me, Let us join hands, and go away for ever. Is it a time for delay? The urgency is extreme!

Nothing red is seen but foxes, Nothing black but crows. Ye who love and regard me, Let us join hands, and go together in our carriages. Is it a time for delay? The urgency is extreme!

How lovely is the retiring girl! She was to await me at a corner of the wall. Loving and not seeing her, I scratch my head, and am in perplexity.

How handsome is the retiring girl! She presented to me a red tube. Bright is the red tube; - I delight in the beauty of the girl.

From the pasture lands she gave a shoot of the white grass, Truly elegant and rare. It is not you, O grass, that are elegant; - You are the gift of an elegant girl.

Fresh and bright is the New Tower, On the waters of the He, wide and deep. A pleasant, genial mate she sought, [And has got this] vicious bloated mass!

Lofty is the New Tower, On the waters of the He, flowing still. A pleasant, genial mate she sought, [And has got this] vicious bloated mass!

It was a fish net that was set, And a goose has fallen into it. A pleasant, genial mate she sought, And she has got this hunchback.

The two youths got into their boats, Whose shadows floated about [on the water]. I think longingly of them, And my heart is tossed about in uncertainty.

The two youths got into their boats, Which floated away [on the stream]. I think longingly of them, Did they not come to harm?