Deft boys and pretty girls.Reach an understanding while boating;Their prows veer slowly,But the winecups pass quickly;Their oars are entangled,As they cut through the duckweed,And girls with slender waists.Turn to gaze behind them.Now spring and summer meet,Leaves are tender, flowers fresh;With smiles they protect their silks,Drawing in their skirts, afraid lest the boat upset.

 

于是妖童媛女，荡舟心许；鷁首徐回，兼传羽杯；欋将移而藻挂，船欲动而萍开。尔其纤腰束素，迁延顾步；夏始春余，叶嫩花初，恐沾裳而浅笑，畏倾船而敛裾。

There we have a picture of these merry excursions. This must have been a delightful event, and it is a great pity we cannot enjoy it today.

可见当时嬉游的光景了。这真是有趣的事，可惜我们现在早已无福消受了。

I also remember some lines from the poem West Islet:

于是又记起《西洲曲》里的句子：

When they gather lotus at Nantang in autumn;The lotus blooms are higher than their heads;They stoop to pick lotus seeds,Seeds as translucent as water.

采莲南塘秋，莲花过人头；低头弄莲子，莲子清如水。

If any girls were here now to pick the lotus, the flowers would reach above their heads too-ah, rippling shadows alone are not enough! I was feeling quite homesick for the south, when I suddenly looked up to discover I had reached my own door. Pushing it softly open and tiptoeing in, I found all quiet inside, and my wife fast asleep.

今晚若有采莲人，这儿的莲花也算得“过人头”了；只不见一些流水的影子，是不行的。这令我到底惦着江南了。这样想着，猛一抬头，不觉已是自己的门前；轻轻地推门进去，什么声息也没有，妻已睡熟好久了。