A song from the Shi Jing or Classic of Poetry. It is a brief poem from the first section, the Folk Songs.
Ezra Pound gives a non-literal translation of the song thus:
Taedium
Plucking the vine leaves, hear my song:
"A day without him is three months long"
Stripping the southern woods, hear my song:
"A day without him is three autumns long."
Reaping the tall grass, hear my song:
"A day without him is three years long"
For the early date this song dates back to, possibly before the first millenium BC, this poem lacks the epic or cosmological significance that other cultures might imbue their poetry with. All we have is a simple work song, of a woman working in the field and thinking of a loved person. But for this reason, it has a poignant humanity that the creation myths or other poetic forms of other cultures can not reveal.