Selections of ancient Chinese Poems


From the Book of Songs:

1 The North Wind

The cold north wind blows.
Down falls the snow.
Love me, be good to me,
Take my hand, go with me,
Why do you linger so?
O, let us go!

The cold north wind whistles.
Down whirls the falling snow.
Love me, be good to me,
Take my hand, go with me.
Why do you linger so?
O, let us go!

Only the red fox.
Only the black crow—
Love me, be good to me,
Take my hand, go with me.
Why do you linger so?
O, let us go!


2. The Sun and the Moon

Ah, Sun, ah Moon
Which shine upon the earth below,
There is a man
Who will not keep faith.
How can he keep his oath?
Better if he had never seen me!

Ah, Sun, ah, Moon,
Which shadow the earth below,
There is a man
Who will not be true.
How can he keep his troth?
Better if he had never sworn oath to me.

Ah, Sun, ah, Moon,
Which rises in the east,
There is a man
Who says no truth.
How can he have true?
Does he think he can forget me?

Ah, Sun, ah, Moon,
Which rises from the east,
O father, O mother,
Why was I ever born?
How can he keep his oath?
Loving me beyond all reason?

3. The Good-Looking Boy

The good-looking boy
Is waiting for me in the lane.
Why should I not go with him?

The fair-looking boy
Is waiting for me in the hall.
Why should I not go with him?

In my embroidered coat, my cloak of lain,
In my embroidered skirt, my gown of lain.
My dear, my darling,
Take me in your coach!

In my embroidered skirt, my gown of lain,
In my embroidered coat, my cloak of lain,
My dear, my darling,
Take me with you when you go home!