Year
Guan~guan~the seahawks
Gather on the river isle;
Pure, charming girl—
A match for the young man.
Rippling, floating flowers,
Flowing to the left and right;
Pure, charming girl—
He seeks and does not rest.
He pleads but does not obtain,
And thinks of your dress both night and day;
At night he does nothing
But toss and turn in bed.
Rippling, floating flowers,
She gathers them left and right;
Pure, charming girl—
Harmonious tunes to him.
Rippling, floating flowers,
To the left and right she chooses them;
Pure, charming girl—
Your clock strikes music for him.
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
關雎 | 关雎 | guān jū |
關關雎鳩， | 关关雎鸠， | guān guān jū jiū ， |
在河之洲。 | 在河之洲。 | zài hé zhī zhōu 。 |
窈窕淑女， | 窈窕淑女， | yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ ， |
君子好逑。 | 君子好逑。 | jūn zǐ hǎo qiú 。 |
參差荇菜， | 参差荇菜， | cān chà xìng cài ， |
左右流之。 | 左右流之。 | zuǒ yòu liú zhī 。 |
窈窕淑女， | 窈窕淑女， | yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ ， |
寤寐求之。 | 寤寐求之。 | wù mèi qiú zhī 。 |
求之不得， | 求之不得， | qiú zhī bù dé ， |
寤寐思服。 | 寤寐思服。 | wù mèi sī fú 。 |
悠哉悠哉， | 悠哉悠哉， | yōu zāi yōu zāi ， |
輾轉反側。 | 辗转反侧。 | zhǎn zhuǎn fǎn cè 。 |
參差荇菜， | 参差荇菜， | cān chà xìng cài ， |
左右采之。 | 左右采之。 | zuǒ yòu cǎi zhī 。 |
窈窕淑女， | 窈窕淑女， | yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ ， |
琴瑟友之。 | 琴瑟友之。 | qín sè yǒu zhī 。 |
參差荇菜， | 参差荇菜， | cān chà xìng cài ， |
左右芼之。 | 左右芼之。 | zuǒ yòu máo zhī 。 |
窈窕淑女， | 窈窕淑女， | yǎo tiǎo shū nǚ ， |
鐘鼓樂之。 | 钟鼓乐之。 | zhōng gǔ lè zhī。 |
Translation Notes
Anonymous, from the Classic of Poetry
關雎 | Guan/frontier-pass Sea-hawk |
關關雎鳩， | Guan guan sea-hawk assemble, |
在河之洲。 | At river ’s island. |
窈窕淑女， | Refined slender charming girl, [Refined slender = sweet, fair, and graceful woman; a seductive woman] [Charming girl = a wise and virtuous woman; a lady] |
君子好逑。 | Gentleman offspring good match. [Gentleman offspring = a nobleman] |
參差荇菜， | Take-part-in different water-plant vegetable, [Take-part-in different = jagged, uneven] [Water-plant vegetable = yellow floating heart, a type of yellow flower that grows in shallow water] |
左右流之。 | Left right flowing her. |
窈窕淑女， | Refined modest virtuous girl, |
寤寐求之。 | Few sleep seeks him. [Few sleep = awake or sleep; at anytime] |
求之不得， | Beseeches him not obtain, |
寤寐思服。 | Few sleep think clothes/dress. |
悠哉悠哉， | Far ! Far ! [This line is an idiom meaning free and unconstrained; leisurely and carefree] |
輾轉反側。 | Turn-over move reverse side. [This line means to toss and turn restlessly in bed] |
參差荇菜， | Take-part-in different water-plant vegetables, |
左右采之。 | Left right gathers her. |
窈窕淑女， | Refined charming pure girl, |
琴瑟友之。 | Chinese-lute stringed-musical-instrument friend him. [Chinese-lute stringed-musical-instrument = two musical instruments that play together in harmony; an idiom for marital harmony] |
參差荇菜， | Take-part-in different water-plant vegetables, |
左右芼之。 | Left right choose them. |
窈窕淑女， | Refined modest charming girl, |
鐘鼓樂之。 | Clock strikes music him. |