guān guān jū jiū， zài hé zhī zhōu。 yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ， jūn zǐ hǎo qiú。
　　 cēncī xìng cài， zuǒ yòu liú zhī。 yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ， wù mèi qiú zhī。
　　 qiú zhī bù dé， wù mèi sī fú。 yōu zāi yōu zāi， niǎn zhuǎn fǎn cè。
　　 cēncī xìng cài， zuǒ yòu cǎi zhī。 yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ， qín sè yǒu zhī。
　　 cēncī xìng cài， zuǒ yòu mào zhī。 yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ， zhōng gǔ lè zhī。

　　Guan-guan go the ospreys,
　　On the islet in the river.
　　The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: --
　　For our prince a good mate she.
　　
　　Here long, there short, is the duckweed,
　　To the left, to the right, borne about by the current.
　　The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: --
　　Waking and sleeping, he sought her.
　　He sought her and found her not,
　　And waking and sleeping he thought about her.
　　Long he thought; oh! long and anxiously;
　　On his side, on his back, he turned, and back again.
　　
　　Here long, there short, is the duckweed;
　　On the left, on the right, we gather it.
　　The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: --
　　With lutes, small and large, let us give her friendly welcome.
　　Here long, there short, is the duckweed;
　　On the left, on the right, we cook and present it.
　　The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: --
　　With bells and drums let us show our delight in her.

　　gé zhī qín xī， shī yú zhōng gǔ， wéi yè qī qī。 huáng niǎo yú fēi， jí yú guàn mù， qí míng jiē jiē。
　　 gé zhī qín xī， shī yú zhōng gǔ， wéi yè mò mò。 shì yì shì huò， wéi chī wéi xì， fú zhī wú yì。
　　 yán gào shī shì， yán gào yán guī。 bó wū wǒ sī， bó huàn wǒ yī。 hài huàn hài fǒu， guī níng fù mǔ。

　　How the dolichos spread itself out,
　　Extending to the middle of the valley!
　　Its leaves were luxuriant;
　　The yellow birds flew about,
　　And collected on the thickly growing trees,
　　Their pleasant notes resounding far.
　　
　　How the dolichos spread itself out,
　　Extending to the middle of the valley!
　　Its leaves were luxuriant and dense.
　　I cut it and I boiled it,
　　And made both fine cloth and coarse,
　　Which I will wear without getting tired of it.
　　
　　I have told the matron,
　　Who will announce that I am going to see my parents.
　　I will wash my private clothes clean,
　　And I will rinse my robes.
　　Which need to be rinsed, which do not?
　　I am going back to visit my parents.

　　cǎi cǎi juàn 'ěr， bù yíng qǐng kuāng。 jiē wǒ huái rén， zhì bǐ zhōu xíng。
　　 zhì bǐ cuī wéi， wǒ mǎ huǐ tuí。 wǒ gū zhuó bǐ jīn léi， wéi yǐ bù yǒng huái。
　　 zhì bǐ gāo gāng， wǒ mǎ xuán huáng。 wǒ gū zhuó bǐ sì gōng， wéi yǐ bù yǒng shāng。
　　 zhì bǐ jū yǐ， wǒ mǎ tú yǐ， wǒ pú pū yǐ， yún hé xū yǐ。

　　I was gathering and gathering the mouse-ear,
　　But could not fill my shallow basket.
　　With a sigh for the man of my heart,
　　I placed it there on the highway.
　　
　　I was ascending that rock-covered height,
　　But my horses were too tired to breast it.
　　I will now pour a cup from that gilded vase,
　　Hoping I may not have to think of him long.
　　
　　I was ascending that lofty ridge,
　　But my horses turned of a dark yellow.
　　I will now take a cup from that rhinoceros' horn,
　　Hoping I may not have long to sorrow.
　　
　　I was ascending that flat-topped height,
　　But my horses became quite disabled,
　　And my servants were [also] disabled.
　　Oh! how great is my sorrow!

　　nán yòu jiū mù， gé lěi lěi zhī。 lè zhǐ jūn zǐ， fú lǚ suí zhī。
　　 nán yòu jiū mù， gé lěi huāng zhī。 lè zhǐ jūn zǐ， fú lǚ jiāng zhī。
　　 nán yòu jiū mù， gé lěi yíng zhī。 lè zhǐ jūn zǐ， fú lǚ chéng zhī。

　　In the south are trees with curved drooping branches,
　　With the doliches creepers clinging to them.
　　To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
　　May she repose in her happiness and dignity!
　　
　　In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches,
　　Covered by the dolichos creepers.
　　To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
　　May she be great in her happiness and dignity!
　　
　　In the south are the trees with curved drooping branches,
　　Round which the dolichos creepers twine.
　　To be rejoiced in is our princely lady : --
　　May she be complete in her happiness and dignity!

　　zhōng sī yǔ， shēn shēn xī。 yí 'ěr zǐ sūn， zhèn zhèn xī。
　　 zhōng sī yǔ， hōng hōng xī。 yí 'ěr zǐ sūn。 shéng shéng xī。
　　 zhōng sī yǔ， yī yī xī。 yí 'ěr zǐ sūn， zhé zhé xī。

　　Ye locusts, winged tribes,
　　How harmoniously you collect together!
　　Right is it that your descendants
　　Should be multitudinous!
　　
　　Ye locusts, winged tribes,
　　How sound your wings in flight!
　　Right is it that your descendents
　　Should be as in unbroken strings!
　　
　　Ye locusts, winged tribes,
　　How you cluster together!
　　Right is it that your descendents
　　Should be in swarms!

　　táo zhī yāo yāo， zhuó zhuó qí huá。 zhī zǐ yú guī， yí qí shì jiā。
　　 táo zhī yāo yāo， yòu fén qí shí。 zhī zǐ yú guī， yí qí jiā shì。
　　 táo zhī yāo yāo， qí yè zhēn zhēn。 zhī zǐ yú guī， yí qí jiā rén。

　　The peach tree is young and elegant;
　　Brilliant are its flowers.
　　This young lady is going to her future home,
　　And will order well her chamber and house.
　　
　　The peach tree is young and elegant;
　　Abundant will be its fruits.
　　This young lady is going to her future home,
　　And will order well her chamber and house.
　　
　　The peach tree is young and elegant;
　　Luxuriant are its leaves.
　　This young lady is going to her future home,
　　And will order well her family.

　　sù sù tù jū， zhuó zhī dīng dīng。 jiū jiū wǔ fū， gōng hóu gān chéng。
　　 sù sù tù jū， shī yú zhōng kuí。 jiū jiū wǔ fū， gōng hóu hǎo chóu。
　　 sù sù miǎn jū， shī yú zhōng lín。 jiū jiū wǔ fū， gōng hóu fù xīn。

　　Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets;
　　Clang clang go the blows on the pegs.
　　That stalwart, martial man
　　Might be shield and wall to his prince.
　　
　　Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets,
　　And placed where many ways meet.
　　That stalwart, martial man
　　Would be a good companion for his prince.
　　
　　Carefully adjusted are the rabbit nets,
　　And placed in the midst of the forest.
　　That stalwart, martial man
　　Might be head and heart to his prince.

　　cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán cǎi zhī。 cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán yòu zhī。
　　 cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán duō zhī。 cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán luō zhī。
　　 cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán jié zhī。 cǎi cǎi fú yǐ， bó yán shì jié zhī。

　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we may gather them.
　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we have got them.
　　
　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we pluck the ears.
　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we rub out the seeds.
　　
　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we place the seeds in our skirts.
　　We gather and gather the plantains;
　　Now we tuck out skirts under our girdles.

　　nán yòu qiáo mù， bù kě xiū xī。 hàn yòu yóu nǚ， bù kě qiú sī。 hàn zhī guǎng yǐ， bù kě yǒng sī。 jiāng zhī yǒng yǐ， bù kě fāng sī。
　　 qiáo qiáo cuò xīn， yán yì qí chǔ。 zhī zǐ yú guī， yán mò qí mǎ。 hàn zhī guǎng yǐ， bù kě yǒng sī。 jiāng zhī yǒng yǐ， bù kě fāng sī。
　　 qiáo qiáo cuò xīn， yán yì qí lóu。 zhī zǐ yú guī。 yán mò qí jū。 hàn zhī guǎng yǐ， bù kě yǒng sī。 jiāng zhī yǒng yǐ， bù kě fāng sī。

　　In the south rise the trees without branches,
　　Affording no shelter.
　　By the Han are girls rambling about,
　　But it is vain to solicit them.
　　The breath of the Han
　　Cannot be dived across;
　　The length of the Jiang
　　Cannot be navigated with a raft.
　　
　　Many are the bundles of firewood;
　　I would cut down the thorns [to form more].
　　Those girls that are going to their future home, --
　　I would feed their horses.
　　The breadth of the Han
　　Cannot be dived across;
　　The length of the Jiang,
　　Cannot be navigated with a raft.
　　
　　Many are the bundles of firewood;
　　I would cut down the southern wood [to form more].
　　Those girls that are going to their future home, --
　　I would feed their colts.
　　The breadth of the Han
　　Cannot be dived across;
　　The length of the Jiang
　　Cannot be navigated with a raft.

　　zūn bǐ rǔ fén， fá qí tiáo méi。 wèi jiàn jūn zǐ， nì rú zhōujī。
　　 zūn bǐ rǔ fén， fá qí tiáo yì。 jì jiàn jūn zǐ， bù wǒ xiá qì。
　　 fáng yú chēng wěi， wáng shì rú huǐ。 suī zé rú huǐ， fù mǔ kǒng 'ěr。

　　Along those raised banks of the Ru,
　　I cut down the branches and slender stems.
　　While I could not see my lord,
　　I felt as it were pangs of great hunger.
　　
　　Along those raised banks of the Ru,
　　I cut down the branches and fresh twigs.
　　I have seen my lord;
　　He has not cast me away.
　　
　　The bream is showing its tail all red;
　　The royal House is like a blazing fire.
　　Though it be like a blazing fire,
　　Your parents are very near.

　　lín zhī zhǐ， zhèn zhèn gōng zǐ， yú jiē lín xī。
　　 lín zhī dìng， zhèn zhèn gōng xìng， yú jiē lín xī。
　　 lín zhī jiǎo， zhèn zhèn gōng zú， yú jiē lín xī。

　　The feet of the Lin: --
　　The noble sons of our prince,
　　Ah! they are the Lin!
　　
　　The forehead of the Lin: --
　　The noble grandsons of our prince,
　　Ah! they are the Lin!
　　
　　The horn of the Lin: --
　　The noble kindred of our prince,
　　Ah! they are the Lin!