石壕吏 – 杜甫
A Verse by Du Fu
(Impressment in Shihao)
暮投石壕村，有吏夜捉人。
老翁逾牆走，老婦出門看。
As I lodged in Shihao vill at nightfall,
The knavish press came henting men with roar.
My host clambered over his backyard’s wall,
Fled, hence, his wife had to answer the door.
吏呼一何怒！婦啼一何苦。
聽婦前致詞，三男鄴城戍。
So fiercely the pressgang did rant and rave,
Ah, how bitterly the woman did wail.
I heard her complaining to the head-knave,
“To guard the Ye town, three sons armed with mail,”
一男附書至，二男新戰死。
存者且偷生，死者長已矣！
“One of them hath just sent his tidings home,
He told us his two bros were killed in fight.
The ones dead, now only their sad souls roam,
The survivor hopes to scape such a plight.”
室中更無人，惟有乳下孫。
有孫母未去，出入無完裙。
“My house hath no brawny men anymore,
Save this baby who needs his feeding breast.
My grandson can’t live sans his mother, therefore,
His mum can’t leave, what’s more, she’s in rags dressed.”
老嫗力雖衰，請從吏夜歸。
急應河陽役，猶得備晨炊。
“Though elderly and frail a woman I’m,
Tonight, I would beg you to take me fast
To He Yang frontier to enlist in time,
Hence, for your troops I’d cook the morn repast.”
夜久語聲絕，如聞泣幽咽。
天明登前途，獨與老翁別。
At midnight, outside noises did down die,
Somewhat, I’d still hear my hosts sob grieving.
At dawn, when I'd thank and bid them goodbye,
I saw none but the host ere my leaving.
Tr. Ziyuzile
(To be revised)
