彼黍離離，彼稷之苗。行邁靡靡，中心搖搖。
　　知我者，謂我心憂；不知我者，謂我何求。悠悠蒼天，此何人哉？
　　彼黍離離，彼稷之穗。行邁靡靡，中心如醉。
　　知我者，謂我心憂；不知我者，謂我何求。悠悠蒼天，此何人哉？
　　彼黍離離，彼稷之實。行邁靡靡，中心如噎。
　　知我者，謂我心憂；不知我者，謂我何求。悠悠蒼天，此何人哉？

　　There was the millet with its drooping heads;
　　There was the sacrificial millet into blade.
　　Slowly I moved about,
　　In my heart all-agitated.
　　Those who knew me,
　　Said I was sad at heart.
　　Those who did not know me,
　　Said I was seeking for something.
　　O distant and azure Heaven!
　　By what man was this [brought about]?
　　
　　There was the millet with its drooping heads;
　　There was the sacrificial millet in the ear.
　　Slowly I moved about,
　　My heart intoxicated, as it were, [with grief].
　　Those who knew me,
　　Said I was sad at heart.
　　Those who did not know me,
　　Said I was seeking for something.
　　O thou distant and azure Heaven!
　　By what man was this [brought about]?
　　
　　There was the millet with its drooping heads;
　　There was the sacrificial millet in grain.
　　Slowly I moved about,
　　As if there were a stoppage at my heart.
　　Those who knew me,
　　Said I was sad at heart.
　　Those who did not know me,
　　Said I was seeking for something.
　　O thou distant and azure Heaven!
　　By what man was this [brought about]?

　　君子於役，不知其期。曷至哉？雞棲於塒。日之夕矣，羊牛下來。
　　君子於役，如之何勿思！
　　
　　君子於役，不日不月。曷其有佸？雞棲於桀。日之夕矣，羊牛下括。
　　君子於役，苟無饑渴？

　　My husband is away on service,
　　And I know not when he will return.
　　Where is he now?
　　The fowls roost in their holes in the walls;
　　And in the evening of the day,
　　The goats and cows come down [from the hill];
　　But my husband is away on service.
　　How can I but keep thinking of him?
　　
　　My husband is away on service,
　　Not for days [merely] or for months.
　　When will he come back to me?
　　The fowls roost on their perches;
　　And in the evening of the day,
　　The goats and cows come down down and home;
　　But my husband is away on service.
　　Oh if he be but kept from hunger and thirst!

　　君子陽陽，左執簧，右招我由房，其樂衹且！
　　君子陶陶，左執翿，右招我由敖，其樂衹且！

　　My husband looks full of satisfaction.
　　In his left hand he holds his reed-organ,
　　And with his right he calls me to the room.
　　Oh the joy!
　　
　　My husband looks delighted.
　　In his left hand he holds his screen of feathers,
　　And with his right he calls me to the stage.
　　Oh the joy!

　　揚之水，不流束薪。彼其之子，不與我戍申。懷哉懷哉，曷月予還歸哉
　　揚之水，不流束楚。彼其之子，不與我戍甫。懷哉懷哉，曷月予還歸哉！
　　揚之水，不流束蒲。彼其之子，不與我戍許。懷哉懷哉，曷月予還歸哉！

　　The fretted waters,
　　Do not carry on their current a bundle of firewood!
　　Those, the members of our families,
　　Are not with us here guarding Shen.
　　How we think of them! How we think of them!
　　What month shall we return home?
　　
　　The fretted waters,
　　Do not carry on their current a bundle of thorns!
　　Those, the members of our families,
　　Are not with us here guarding Pu.
　　How we think of them! How we think of them!
　　What month shall we return?
　　
　　The fretted waters,
　　Do not carry on their current a bundle of osiers!
　　Those, the members of our families,
　　Are not with us here guarding Xu.
　　How we think of them! How we think of them!
　　What month shall we return?

　　中𠔌有蓷，其幹矣。有女仳離，慨其矣。慨其矣，遇人之艱難矣。
　　中𠔌有蓷，其修矣。有女仳離，條其歗矣。條其歗矣，遇人之不淑矣。
　　中𠔌有蓷，其濕矣。有女仳離，啜其泣矣。啜其泣矣，何嗟及矣。

　　In the valleys grows the mother-wort,
　　But scorched is it in the drier places.
　　There is a woman forced to leave her husband;
　　Sadly she sighs!
　　Sadly she sighs!
　　She suffers from his hard lot.
　　
　　In the valleys grows the mother-wort,
　　But scorched is it where it had become long.
　　There is a woman forced to leave her husband;
　　Long-drawn are her groanings!
　　Long-drawn are her groanings!
　　She suffers from his misfortune.
　　
　　In the valleys grows the mother-wort,
　　But scorched is it even in the moist places.
　　There is a woman forced to leave her husband;
　　Ever flow her tears!
　　Ever flow her tears!
　　But of what avail is her lament?

　　有兔爰爰，雉離於羅。我生之初，尚無位；我生之後，逢此百罹。尚寐無吪。
　　有兔爰爰，雉離於罦。我生之初，尚無造；我生之後，逢此百憂。尚寐無覺。
　　有兔爰爰，雉離於罿。我生之初，尚無庸；我生之後，逢此百兇。尚寐無聰。

　　The hare is slow and cautious;
　　The pheasant plumps into the net.
　　In the early part of my life,
　　Time still passed without commotion.
　　In the subsequent part of it,
　　We are meeting with all these evils.
　　I wish I might sleep and never move more.
　　
　　The hare is slow and cautious;
　　The pheasant plumps into the snare.
　　In the early part of my life,
　　Time still passed without anything stirring.
　　In the subsequent part of it,
　　We are meeting with all these sorrows.
　　I wish I might sleep and never move more.
　　
　　The hare is slow and cautious;
　　The pheasant plumps into the trap.
　　In the early part of my life,
　　Time still passed without any call for our services.
　　In the subsequent part of it,
　　We are meeting with all these miseries.
　　I would that I might sleep, and hear of nothing more.

　　綿綿葛藟，在河之滸。終遠兄弟，謂他人父。謂他人父，亦莫我顧！
　　綿綿葛爰，在河之藟。終遠兄弟，謂他人母。謂他人母，亦莫我有！
　　綿綿葛藟，在河之漘。終遠兄弟，謂他人昆。謂他人昆，亦莫我聞！

　　Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers,
　　On the borders of the He.
　　For ever separated from my brothers,
　　I call a stranger father.
　　I call a stranger father,
　　But he will not look at me.
　　
　　Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers,
　　On the banks of the He.
　　For ever separated from my brothers,
　　I call a stranger mother.
　　I call a stranger mother,
　　But she will not recognize me.
　　
　　Thickly they spread about, the dolichos creepers,
　　On the lips of the He.
　　For ever separated from my brothers,
　　I call a stranger elder-brother.
　　I call a stranger elder-brother,
　　But he will not listen to me.

　　彼采葛兮，一日不見，如三月兮！
　　彼采蕭兮，一日不見，如三秋兮！
　　彼采艾兮！一日不見，如三歲兮！

　　There he is gathering the dolichos!
　　A day without seeing him,
　　Is like three months!
　　
　　There he is gathering the oxtail-southern-wood!
　　A day without seeing him,
　　Is like three seasons!
　　
　　There he is gathering the mugwort!
　　A day without seeing him,
　　Is like three years!
　　
　　
　　Another version:
　　It Seems Like Years
　　Translated by ?
　　
　　Oh, he is plucking cloth-creeper...
　　For a single day I have not seen him...
　　It seems like three months!
　　
　　Oh, he is plucking southenwood...
　　For a single day I have not seen him...
　　It seems like three autumns!
　　
　　Oh, he is plucking mugwort...
　　For a single day I have not seen him...
　　It seems like three years!

　　大車檻檻，毳衣如菼。豈不爾思？畏子不敢。
　　大車啍々，毳衣如璊，豈不爾思？畏子不奔。
　　𠔌則異室，死則同穴。謂予不信，有如皎日。

　　His great carriage rumbles along,
　　And his robes of rank glitter like the young sedge.
　　Do I not think of you?
　　But I am afraid of this officer, and dare not.
　　
　　His great carriage moves heavily and slowly,
　　And his robes of rank glitter like a carnation-gem.
　　Do I not think of you?
　　But I am afraid of this officer, and do not rush to you.
　　
　　While living, we may have to occupy different apartments;
　　But when dead, we shall share the same grave.
　　If you say that I am not sincere,
　　By the bright sun I swear that I am.

　　丘中有麻，彼留子嗟。彼留子嗟，將其來施施。
　　丘中有麥，彼留子國。彼留子國，將其來食。
　　丘中有李，彼留之子。彼留之子，貽我佩玖。

　　On the mound where is the hemp,
　　Some one is detaining Zijie.
　　Some one is there detaining Zijie; --
　　Would that he would come jauntily [to me]!
　　
　　On the mound where is the wheat,
　　Some one is detaining Ziguo.
　　Some one is there detaining Ziguo; --
　　Would that he would come and eat with me!
　　
　　On the mound where are the plum trees,
　　Some one is detaining those youths.
　　Some one is there detaining those youths; --
　　They will give me Jiu-stones for my girdle.