The book of odes and hymns – part 42

JING NU

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 shoet 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.

jìng nǚ   

靜女  

jìng nǚ qí shū 、sì wǒ yú chéng yú 。

靜女其姝、俟我於城隅。

ài ér bú jiàn 、sāo shǒu chí chú 。

愛而不見、搔首踟躕。

jìng nǚ qí luán 、yí wǒ tóng guǎn 。

靜女其孌、貽我彤管。

tóng guǎn yǒu wěi 、shuō yì nǚ měi 。

彤管有煒、說懌女美。

zì mù guī yí 、xún měi qiě yì 。

自牧歸荑、洵美且異。

fěi nǚ yǐ wéi měi 、měi rén zhī yí 。

匪女以為美、美人之貽。