|
We proceeded with our carriage, |
|
To those pasture grounds. |
|
' From the place of the son of Heaven, |
|
Came an order to me to march, ' [said the general]. |
|
So he called his carriage-officers, |
|
And told them to get the carriages all ready. |
|
' The king's business, ' [said he], ' is surrounded with difficulties; |
|
We must use despatch. ' |
|
We proceeded with our carriage, |
|
To that suburban region. |
|
The banner with tortoises and serpents was raised, |
|
And the ox-tails set up at the top of its staff; |
|
Did not it and the falcon banner, |
|
Fly about grandly? |
|
The [general's] heart was anxious and sad, |
|
And the carriage-officers appeared full of care. |
|
The king charged Nan Zhong, |
|
To go and build a wall in the [disturbed] region. |
|
How numerous were his chariots! |
|
How splendid his dragon, his tortoise and serpent flags! |
|
The son of Heaven had charged us, |
|
To build a wall in that northern region. |
|
Awe-inspiring was Nan Zhong; |
|
The Xian-yun were sure to be swept away! |
|
When we were marching at first, |
|
The millets were in flower. |
|
Now that we are returning, |
|
The snow falls, and the roads are all mire. |
|
The king's business was not to be slackly performed, |
|
And we had not leisure to rest. |
|
Did we not long to return? |
|
But we were in awe of the orders in the tablets. |
|
' Yao-yao go the grass-insects, |
|
And the hoppers leap about. |
|
While we do not see our husbands, |
|
Our hearts must be full of grief. |
|
Let us but see our husbands, |
|
And our hearts will be at rest. ' |
|
The awe-inspiring Nan Zhong, |
|
Is smiting the Rong of the west. |
|
The spring-days are lengthening out; |
|
The plants and trees grow full of verdure; |
|
The oriole's cry comes jie-jie; |
|
[Our wives] go in crowds to gather the white southernwood. |
|
With our prisoners for the question and our captive crowd, |
|
We return. |
|
Awe-inspiring is Nan zhong; |
|
The Xian-yun are pacified. |