Hwang Jini 黃眞伊

16th century (recorded in a songbook of 1728)

I will cut the waist out of the long, long night of the eleventh month, and coil it away under a quilt of spring wind, and on the night my love comes, uncoil it turn by turn.

冬至ㅅᄃᆞᆯ 기나긴 밤을 한허리를 버혀 내여 春風 니불 아레 서리서리 너헛다가 어론 님 오신 날 밤이여든 구뷔구뷔 펴리라

Cheonggu yeongeon (1728)

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16th century (recorded in a songbook of 1876)

Ah, what have I done? Did I not know I would miss him so? Had I told him to stay, would he have gone? Yet I, of my own will, sent him away, and this longing now: I do not understand it myself.

어져 ᄂᆡ 일이여 글일 쥴을 모로던가 이시라 ᄒᆞ면 가라마는 제 굿ᄒᆞ여 보ᄂᆡ고 글이는 情은 나도 몰나 ᄒᆞ노라

Gagok wollyu (1876)

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16th century (recorded in a songbook of 1728) · The story goes that she made it to tease a royal kinsman named Byeokgyesu, "Blue Stream." Myeongwol, "Bright Moon," was Hwang Jini's name as a gisaeng

Blue stream in the green hills, do not boast of running so fast. Once you reach the wide sea it is hard to come back. The bright moon fills the empty hills: why not rest here a while?

靑山裏 碧溪水ㅣ야 수이 감을 쟈랑 마라 一到 滄海ᄒᆞ면 도라오기 어려오니 明月이 滿空山ᄒᆞ니 수여 간들 엇더리

Cheonggu yeongeon (1728)

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