乐府

Folk-song-styled-verse

王昌龄

Wang Changling

塞下曲

UNDER A BORDER-FORTRESS

饮马渡秋水,

Drink, my horse, while we cross the autumn water!-

水寒风似刀。

The stream is cold and the wind like a sword,

平沙日未没,

As we watch against the sunset on the sandy plain,

黯黯见临洮。

Far, far away, shadowy Lingtao.

昔日长城战,

Old battles, waged by those long walls,

咸言意气高;

Once were proud on all men's tongues.

黄尘足今古,

But antiquity now is a yellow dust,

白骨乱蓬蒿。

Confusing in the grasses its ruins and white bones.