The Book of Songs or Poetry Shijing 詩經 contains some of the oldest pieces of Chinese literature. It is said to have been compiled by Confucius himself, who has chosen out some 300 poems out of 3000. During the Former Han Dynasty 漢, there were still existant four versions of the collection: in the states of Lu 魯 (by Shen Gong 申公), Qi 齊 (by Hou Cang 后蒼 and Master Sun 孫氏) and Han 韓 (by Han Ying 韓嬰), and the private collection of Duke Mao 毛公. Only the last has survived until now, the "Outer Commentaries" to the Han Ying version have survived in the collection Han Shi Waizhuan 韓詩外傳. Han Ying's "Inner Commentary" (Han Neizhuan 韓內傳), and his books Han Gu 韓故 and Han Shuo 韓說 ("Meaning" and "Explanations") are lost. Similar books have also been written by the other masters.
To compare the different interpretations, the Small Preface to the First Air and the Wujing Zhengyi 五經正義 Commentary to its begin are repeated here, followed by the respective passage the Han Shi Waizhuan, representing Confucius' own interpretation of the first air.

１．國風１．１．周南１．１．１．1.關雎（１）
關關雎鳩，在河之洲。窈窕淑女，君子好逑。
參差荇菜，左右流之。窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。
求之不得，寤寐思服。悠哉悠哉！輾轉反側。
參差荇菜，左右采之。窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。
參差荇菜，左右芼之。窈窕淑女，鍾鼓樂之。
The Airs of the States, South of Zhou, The ospreys cry
"Fair, fair," cry the ospreys on the island in the river. Lovely is this noble lady, fit bride for our lord.
In patches grows the water mallow; to left and right one must seek it. Shy was this noble lady; day and night he sought her.
Sought her and could not get her; day and night he grieved. Long thoughts, oh, long unhappy thoughts, now on his back, now tossing on to his side.
In patches grows the water mallow; to left and right one must gather it. Shy is this noble lady; with great zither and little we hearten her.
In patches grows the water mallow; to left and right one must choose it. Shy is this noble lady; with bells and drums we will gladden her.

• 關雎小序
  《關雎》，后妃之德也。風之始也。所以風天下而正夫婦也。故用之鄉人焉，用之邦國焉。
  (Small Preface 1st part:) The song '"Fair', cry the ospreys", expresses the virtue of the ruler's consort. It is the first of the airs. The airs are like a wind to blowing over the earth and serve to rectify the relationship between man and woman. They can be employed for all people in the villages and in all states.
  是以《關雎》樂得淑女以配君子。愛在進賢，不淫其色，哀窈窕，思賢才，而無傷善之心焉。是《關雎》之義也。
  (Small Preface 2nd part:) The music of the "Ospreys" air says, that a noble lady has to be the consort of a noble man. Love comes up because of growing worthiness, not because of sensual pleasures. Her lovelyness causes the noble man's pity, he thinks of her virtual abilites, and he does not hurt her good heart. This is the meaning of the first air.
  
• 五經正義
  興也。「關關」，和聲也。雎鳩，王雎也。鳥摯而有別。水中可居者曰「洲」。 后妃說（悅）樂君子之德。無不和諧，又不淫其色。慎固幽深，若關雎之有別焉。然後可以風化天下。夫婦有別，則父子親。父子親，則君臣敬。君臣敬，則朝廷正。朝廷正，則王化成。《箋》云：「摯之言，至也。謂王雎之鳥，雌雄情意至。然而有別。」案：興，是譬喻之名。意有不盡。故提曰「興」。他皆放此。...
  The Correct Meaning of the Five Classics
  An air with a mood-laden initiation. Guanguan ("Fair, fair") is an expression of harmony (guan also means "relationship"). The osprey is a symbol for the King. The birds have cordial feelings to each other, but they follow a different way. Zhou means "islet". The consort should be glad about a noble man's virtue; nothing between them shall not be in harmony, and they should not indulge in sensual pleasures. Their love shall be cautious, steadfast, deep and not outgoing, just like the different ways of the (male and female) osprey in this air. If the noble ruler and his consort behave like this, the world can be made better. If man and woman live according to their different ways, father and son have their different position in relationship, ruler and subject respect each other, the court behaves in a correct way, and only then, the exemplarious virtue of the king is complete. (Zheng Xuan's) jian commentary says: "'Cordial' means, that they are coming to each other, concretely spoken: although the feelings of male and female osprey are coming together, they follow a different way." Note: Mood-laden initiation (xing) is a metaphor with many different meanings. Fitting to this air, the title "mood-laden initiation" is appropriate. Everything else has its origin in this air.
  
  
• 韓詩外傳
  ５．子夏問曰：「關睢何以為國風始也？」孔子曰：「關睢至矣乎！夫關睢之人，仰則天，俯則地，幽幽冥冥，德之所藏，紛紛沸沸，道之所行，如神龍變化，斐斐文章。大哉！關睢之道也，萬物之所繫，群生之所懸命也，河洛出圖書，麟鳳翔乎郊，不由關睢之道，則關睢之事將奚由至矣哉！夫六經之策，皆歸論汲汲，蓋取之乎關睢，關睢之事大矣哉！馮馮翊翊，自東自西，自南自北，無思不服。子其勉強之，思服之，天地之間，生民之屬，王道之原，不外此矣。」子夏喟然嘆曰：「大哉！關睢乃天地之基也。」詩曰：「鍾鼓樂之。」
  The Outer Commentary to the Book of Songs by Master Han
  [Confucius’ disciple] Zixia asked. "Why is the air 'Guan Ju - Ospreys Cry' made to begin the 'Airs of the States'?” Confucius said, "The Guan Ju is perfection. Now in its relation to man, the Guan Ju above is like Heaven; below it is like Earth. Mysterious and dark is the virtue it hides; abundant and rich the way it puts into practice. Its transformations are like those of the supernatural dragon. It is complete in its brilliancy and order. Oh great is the way of the Guan Ju! It is that which connects all things and on which the life of human beings is dependent.
  The Yellow River and the River Luo gave forth the writing and the diagram, the unicorn and the phoenix frequented the suburbs: by what means could this be brought about except by following the way of the Guan Ju, and by taking the subject of the Guan Ju for a model? Now the writings of the Six Classics all are devoted to exhaustive discussion, but they derive their matter the Guan Ju. The subject of the Guan Ju is great! Vast and soaring, ' the east to the west, the south to the north, there is not a thought but does it homage.' May you exert yourself to emulate it, and cherish it in thought. Neither human beings between Heaven and Earth nor the origin of the Kingly Way are outside its compass."
  Zixia sighed deeply and said, "Great indeed is the Guan Ju; it is the very foundation of Heaven and Earth." Therefore, the air says, 'With bells and drums let us show our delight in it.'”

The air is translated by Burton Watson, the Preface and the , and the Han Shi Waizhuan passage by James R. Hightower.