English中文
Gathering Lotus: Lotus Fragrance over Ten Qing
菡萏香莲十顷陂，(举棹)
小姑贪戏采莲迟。(年少)
Lotus fragrance fills a pond of ten qing (Raise the oars!); the young girl, intent on play, is late with her lotus-picking (Young ones!).
晚来弄水船头湿，(举棹)
更脱红裙裹鸭儿。(年少)
Toward evening she splashes water and wets the boat’s bow (Raise the oars!); she even slips off her red skirt to wrap a duckling (Young ones!).
Reading notes
举棹 and 年少 are sung refrains and are retained with the main text. 菡萏香莲 also appears as 菡萏香连; this page retains the former. 陂, read bēi, means a pond. 顷 is a traditional area unit, kept as qing in English. 小姑 is a young girl.