Love

The Loitering Lovers

by Shi Jing (The Book of Songs) poems c. 1000–600 BC; compilation traditionally ascribed to Confucius

Translated by William Jennings (1891) · From The Shi King (Jennings, 1891), Part I, Book vi

Love

Amid the hemp along the hill,
Tse-tsie must there be loitering still,
Tse-tsie must there be loitering still:
Would he but come, my heart with joy to thrill!

Along the hill amid the wheat —
Tse-kwo is there, why lag his feet?
Tse-kwo is there, why lag his feet?
Would he but come to me and sit and eat!

Where on the hill the plum-trees grow
My swains are loitering, why so slow?
My swains are loitering, why so slow?
And each has girdle-trinkets to bestow!

MLA

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Loitering Lovers.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/350/.

Chicago

Shi Jing (The Book of Songs). “The Loitering Lovers.” Translated by William Jennings. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/shi-jing/350/.

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