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Song of Zoumacuan: Respectfully Seeing Off the Expeditionary Army Heading West
English Poetic Translation
Have you not seen the riders racing by the River of the Running Horse, near the Sea of Snow,
Where level deserts stretch boundless, and the yellow dust merges with the sky?
In Luntai, the ninth-month gales howl through the pitch of night,
And whole riverbeds of shattered stone, each large as a measuring peck,
Are driven by the howling wind, tumbling wildly across the earth.
The Xiongnu pastures turn yellow, and their warhorses grow fat;
West of the Golden Mountains, smoke and battle dust fill the sky.
The grand commanders of the Han issue forth on a western campaign,
Their golden armor left unstripped through the freezing watch of night.
Marching deep in the dead of night, their halberds clashing and crossing,
The cutting edge of the wind is like a knife, slicing the skin to the bone.
Horsehair carries the crust of snow while the steam of sweat rises,
And dapple-patterned coats instantly freeze into sheets of solid ice.
Inside the command tent, drafting the dispatch, the inkstone water congeals;
Hearing of this advance, the barbarian horsemen must surely quake with fear.
We know full well they dare not engage in close-quarters combat:
At the western gates of Jushi, we stand ready to present our trophies of victory.
Where level deserts stretch boundless, and the yellow dust merges with the sky?
In Luntai, the ninth-month gales howl through the pitch of night,
And whole riverbeds of shattered stone, each large as a measuring peck,
Are driven by the howling wind, tumbling wildly across the earth.
The Xiongnu pastures turn yellow, and their warhorses grow fat;
West of the Golden Mountains, smoke and battle dust fill the sky.
The grand commanders of the Han issue forth on a western campaign,
Their golden armor left unstripped through the freezing watch of night.
Marching deep in the dead of night, their halberds clashing and crossing,
The cutting edge of the wind is like a knife, slicing the skin to the bone.
Horsehair carries the crust of snow while the steam of sweat rises,
And dapple-patterned coats instantly freeze into sheets of solid ice.
Inside the command tent, drafting the dispatch, the inkstone water congeals;
Hearing of this advance, the barbarian horsemen must surely quake with fear.
We know full well they dare not engage in close-quarters combat:
At the western gates of Jushi, we stand ready to present our trophies of victory.
Classical Chinese & Pinyin
君不見走馬川行雪海邊，平沙莽莽黃入天。
輪臺九月風夜吼，一川碎石大如鬥，隨風滿地石亂走。
匈奴草黃馬正肥，金山西見煙塵飛。
漢家大將西出師，將軍金甲夜不脫。
半夜軍行戈相撥，風頭如刀面如割。
馬毛帶雪汗氣蒸，五花連錢旋作冰。
幕中草檄硯水凝，虜騎聞之應膽懾。
料知短兵不敢接，車師西門佇獻捷。
輪臺九月風夜吼，一川碎石大如鬥，隨風滿地石亂走。
匈奴草黃馬正肥，金山西見煙塵飛。
漢家大將西出師，將軍金甲夜不脫。
半夜軍行戈相撥，風頭如刀面如割。
馬毛帶雪汗氣蒸，五花連錢旋作冰。
幕中草檄硯水凝，虜騎聞之應膽懾。
料知短兵不敢接，車師西門佇獻捷。
Philological Direct Translation
You do not see running-horse river traveling snow sea side,
level sands boundlessly yellow enters heaven.
Luntai ninth month wind nightly howls,
one stream shattered stones large like peck,
following wind filling ground stones randomly run.
Xiongnu grass yellow horses precisely fat,
Gold Mountain western seeing smoke dust fly.
Han family grand general western issues expedition,
general golden armor night not stripped off.
Midnight army marching halberds mutually striking,
wind head like knife face like cutting.
horse hair carrying snow sweat vapor steaming,
five-flowered speckled coins instantly make ice.
tent middle drafting dispatch inkstone water freezing,
captive riders hearing this should gallop-terrified.
expecting to know short weapons not dare engage,
Jushi western gate awaiting presenting victory.
level sands boundlessly yellow enters heaven.
Luntai ninth month wind nightly howls,
one stream shattered stones large like peck,
following wind filling ground stones randomly run.
Xiongnu grass yellow horses precisely fat,
Gold Mountain western seeing smoke dust fly.
Han family grand general western issues expedition,
general golden armor night not stripped off.
Midnight army marching halberds mutually striking,
wind head like knife face like cutting.
horse hair carrying snow sweat vapor steaming,
five-flowered speckled coins instantly make ice.
tent middle drafting dispatch inkstone water freezing,
captive riders hearing this should gallop-terrified.
expecting to know short weapons not dare engage,
Jushi western gate awaiting presenting victory.