Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi, With their green bamboos, so fresh and luxuriant! There is our elegant and accomplished prince, - As from the knife and the file, As from the chisel and the polisher! How grave is he and dignified! How commanding and distinguished! Our elegant and accomplished prince, - Never can he be forgotten!

Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi, With their green bamboos, so strong and luxuriant! There is our elegant and accomplished prince, - With his ear-stoppers of beautiful pebbles, And his cap, glittering as with stars between the seams! How grave is he and dignified! How commanding and distinguished! Our elegant and accomplished prince, - Never can he be forgotten!

Look at those recesses in the banks of the Qi, With their green bamboos, so dense together! There is our elegant and accomplished prince, - [Pure] as gold or as tin, [Soft and rich] as a sceptre of jade! How magnanimous is he and gentle! There he is in his chariot with its two high sides! Skilful is he at quips and jokes, But how does he keep from rudeness in them!

He has reared his hut by the stream in the valley, - That large man, so much at his ease. Alone he sleeps, and wakes, and talks. He swears he will never forgets [his true joy].

He has reared his hut in the bend of the mound, - That large man, with such an air of indifference. Alone he sleeps, and wakes, and sings. He swears he will never pass from the spot.

He has reared his hut on the level height, - That large man, so self-collected. Alone, he sleeps and wakes, and sleeps again. He swears he will never tell [of his delight].

Large was she and tall, In her embroidered robe, with a [plain] single garment over it: The daughter of the marquis of Qi. The wife of the marquis of Wei, The sister of the heir-son of Qi The sister-in-law of the marquis of Xing, The viscount of Tan also her brother-in-law.

Her fingers were like the blades of the young white-grass; Her skin was like congealed ointment; Her neck was like the tree-grub; Her teeth were like melon seeds; Her forehead cicada-like; her eyebrows like [the antenne of] the silkworm moth; What dimples, as she artfully smiled! How lovely her eyes, with the black and white so well defined!

Large was she and tall, When she halted in the cultivated suburbs. Strong looked her four horses, With the red ornaments so rich about their bits. Thus in her carriage, with its screens of pheasant feathers, she proceeded to our court. Early retire, ye great officers, And do not make the marquis fatigued!

The waters of the He, wide and deep, Flow northwards in majestic course. The nets are dropt into them with a plashing sound, Among shoals of sturgeon, large and small, While the rushes and sedges are rank about. Splendidly adorned were her sister ladies; Martial looked the attendant officers.

A simple-looking lad you were, Carrying cloth to exchange it for silk. [But] you came not so to purchase silk; - You came to make proposals to me. I convoyed you through the Qi, As far as Dunqiu. ' It is not I, ' [I said], ' who would protract the time; But you have had no good go-between. I pray you be not angry, And let autumn be the time. '

I ascended that ruinous wall, To look towards Fuguan; And when I saw [you] not [coming from] it; My tears flowed in streams. When I did see [you coming from] Fuquan, I laughed and I spoke. You had consulted, [you said], the tortoise-shell and the reeds, And there was nothing unfavourable in their response. ' Then come, ' [I said], ' with your carriage, And I will remove with my goods.

Before the mulberry tree has shed its leaves, How rich and glossy are they! Ah! thou dove, Eat not its fruit [to excess]. Ah! thou young lady, Seek no licentious pleasure with a gentleman. When a gentleman indulges in such pleasure, Something may still be said for him; When a lady does so, Nothing can be said for her.

When the mulberry tree sheds its leaves, They fall yellow on the ground. Since I went with you, Three years have I eaten of your poverty; And [now] the full waters of the Qi, Wet the curtains of my carriage. There has been no difference in me, But you have been double in your ways. It is you, Sir, who transgress the right, Thus changeable in your conduct.

For three years I was your wife, And thought nothing of my toil in your house. I rose early and went to sleep late, Not intermitting my labours for a morning. Thus [on my part] our contract was fulfilled, But you have behaved thus cruelly. My brothers will not know [all this], And will only laugh at me. Silently I think of it, And bemoan myself.

I was to grow old with you; - Old, you give me cause for sad repining. The Qi has its banks, And the marsh has its shores. In the pleasant time of my girlhood, with my hair simply gathered in a knot, Harmoniously we talked and laughed. Clearly were we sworn to good faith, And I did not think the engagement would be broken. That it would be broken I did not think, And now it must be all over!

With your long and tapering bamboo rods, You angle in the Qi. Do I not think of you? But I am far away, and cannot get to you.

The Quanyuan is on the left, And the waters of the Qi are on the right. But when a young lady goes away, [and is married], She leaves her brothers and parents.

The waters of the Qi are on the right And the Quanyuan is on the left. How shine the white teeth through the artful smiles! How the girdle gems move to the measured steps!

The waters of the Qi flow smoothly; There are the oars of cedar and boats of pine. Might I but go there in my carriage and ramble, To dissipate my sorrow!

There are the branches of the sparrow-gourd; - There is that lad, with the spike at his girdle. Though he carries a spike at his girdle, He does not know us. How easy and conceited is his manner, With the ends of his girdle hanging down as they do!

There are the leaves of the sparrow-gourd; - There is that lad with the archer's thimble at his girdle. Though he carries an archer's thimble at his girdle, He is not superior to us. How easy and conceited is his manner, With the ends of his girdle hanging down as they do!

Who says that the He is wide? With [a bundle of] reeds I can cross it. Who says that Song is distant? On tiptoe I can see it.

Who says that the He is wide? It will not admit a little boat. Who says that Song is distant? It would not take a whole morning to reach it.

My noble husband is how martial-like! The hero of the country! My husband, grasping his halberd, Is in the leading chariot of the king's [host].

Since my husband went to the east, My head has been like the flying [pappus of the] artemisia. It is not that I could not anoint and wash it; But for whom should I adorn myself?

O for rain! O for rain! But brightly the sun comes forth. Longingly I think of my husband, Till my heart is weary, and my head aches.

How shall I get the plant of forgetfulness? I would plant it on the north of my house. Longingly I think of my husband, And my heart is made to ache.

There is a fox, solitary and suspicious, At that dam over the Qi. My heart is sad; - That man has no lower garment.

There is a fox, solitary and suspicious, At that deep ford of the Qi. My heart is sad; - That man has no girdle.

There is a fox, solitary and suspicious, By the side there of the Qi. My heart is sad; - That man has no clothes.

There was presented to me a papaya, And I returned for it a beautiful Ju-gem; Not as a return for it, But that our friendship might be lasting.

There was presented to me a peach, And I returned for it a beautiful Yao-gem; Not as a return for it, But that our friendship might be lasting.

There was presented to me a plum, And I returned for it a beautiful Jiu-gem; Not as a return for it, But that our friendship might be lasting.