biào yòu méi,
qí shí qī xī。
qiú wǒ shù shì,
dài qí jí xī。
biào yòu méi,
qí shí sān xī。
qiú wǒ shù shì,
dài qí jīn xī。
biào yòu méi,
qǐng kuāng xì zhī。
qiú wǒ shù shì,
dài qí wèi zhī。
Plop fall the plumns; but there are still seven.
Let those gentlemen that would court me
Come while it is lucky!
Plop fall the plums; there are still three.
Let any gentleman that would court me
Come before it is too late!
Plop fall the plums; in shallow baskets
We lay them. Any gentleman who would
Court me had better speak while there is time.
Another version:
Biao You Mei
Translated by James Legge (1898)
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree;
There are [but] seven [tenths] of them left!
For the gentlemen who seek me,
This is the fortunate time!
Dropping are the fruits from the plum-tree;
There are [but] three [tenths] of them left!
For the gentlemen who seek me,
Now is the time.
Dropt are the fruits from the plum-tree;
In my shallow basket I have collected them.
Would the gentlemen who seek me
[Only] speak about it!