The SWORDSMAN
SIGH of the HIDDEN DRAGON 卧龙吟 - HEAVENLY Sound of GUQIN
明朝攜劍隨君去
Tomorrow I will carry my sword and leave with you my lord,
羽扇綸巾赴征塵
With my feather fan and scholar’s hat I will embark on the march.
SIGH OF THE HIDDEN DRAGON 臥龍吟
Tying up my hair, I read both poetry and history,
束髮讀詩書
Building both my ethics and character.
修德兼修身
Viewing above and observing below,
仰觀與俯察
Strategies deep in my heart.
韜略胸中存
Farming but I never stop worrying about the nation;
躬耕從未忘憂國
Who knows that there’s a passionate soul in the woods.
誰知熱血在山林
Phoenix O phoenix, my thoughts are held high.
鳳兮鳳兮思高舉
Times are chaotic and the situation dangerous;
long and hard I brood.
世亂時危久沉吟
Thrice my thatched cottage was visited;
茅廬承三顧
We discussed deeply and wide with our knees against each other’s
促膝縱橫論
Meeting someone who knows my heart halfway through my life
半生遇知己
A hermit feels really blessed.
蟄人感興深
Tomorrow I will carry my sword and leave with you my lord,
明朝攜劍隨君去
With my feather fan and scholar’s hat I will embark on the march.
羽扇綸巾赴征塵
Dragon O Dragon, the winds and clouds are gathering.
龍兮龍兮風雲會
A long howl to let out my feelings.
長嘯一聲抒懷襟
Go back O go back, it is my will.
歸去歸去來兮，我夙願
In my remaining days I shall be a farmer again.
餘年還做壟畝民
Mild breeze and bright moon come into my arms;
清風明月入懷抱
Apes and cranes listen as I play my harp once again.
猿鶴聽我再撫琴
誠既勇兮又以武
終剛強兮不可凌
身既死兮神以靈
魂魄毅兮爲鬼雄
They were truly brave and truly noble;
Strong to the last, they could not be dishonored.
Their bodies may have died, but their souls are living.
Heroes among the shades their valiant souls will be.
Written during late Warring state period 300 BC-221 BC,
國殤 Hymn to the Fallen
was originally dedicated to the fallen braves of the Chu state.
Translated by David Hawkes, who said the Hymn to the Fallen
‘is surely one of the most beautiful laments
for fallen soldiers in any language.’
We respectfully dedicate this ancient lament
to all fallen heroes,
women and men,
in the past and of the present,
who fought bravely and sacrificed
for their country and freedom.
國殤 HYMN TO THE FALLEN
操吳戈兮被犀甲， 車錯轂兮短兵接。
Grasping our great shields and wearing our hide armor
Wheel-hub to wheel-hub locked, we battle hand to hand.
旌蔽日兮敵若雲， 矢交墜兮士爭先。
Our banners darken the sky; the enemy teem like clouds:
Through the hail of arrows the warriors press forward.
凌餘陣兮躐餘行， 左驂殪兮右刃傷。
They dash on our lines; they trample our ranks down.
The left horse has fallen, the right one is wounded.
霾兩輪兮縶四馬， 援玉枹兮擊鳴鼓。
The wheels are embedded, the foursome entangled:
Seize the jade drumstick and beat the sounding drum!
天時懟兮威靈怒， 嚴殺盡兮棄原野。
The time is against us: the gods are angry.
Now all lie dead, left on the field of battle.
出不入兮往不反， 平原忽兮路超遠。
They went out never more to return:
Far, far away they lie, on the level plain,
帶長劍兮挾秦弓， 首身離兮心不懲。
Their long swords at their belts, clasping their Qin bows,
Head from body sundered: but their hearts could not be vanquished.
誠既勇兮又以武， 終剛強兮不可凌。
They were truly brave and truly noble;
Strong to the last, they could not be dishonored.
身既死兮神以靈， 魂魄毅兮爲鬼雄。
Their bodies may have died, but their souls are living:
Heroes among the shades their valiant souls will be.