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Dusk stay at stone moat village Be official night capture people Old man over wall escape Old woman out door look Official shout with what anger Woman cry with what grief Hear woman forward send words Three sons Ye city defend One son send letter to Two sons newly battle dead Survive one for now sneak life Dead ones great end finished House in become no person Only be breast on grandson Have grandson mother not go come and go without whole skirt Old woman strength though decline Ask follow officer night return Urgent should Heyang work Like produce prepare morning meal Night long speech sound exhaust Seem hear sob whimpering Sky bright up before road Alone with old man part |
At dusk, I stopped for the night at stone moat village, An officer came that night to capture men. The old man escaped by climbing over the wall, The old wife went to look outside the door. How angrily the officer now shouted, How bitterly the wife did weep out loud! I heard the words the wife was sending forth: "Three sons of mine have gone to defend Ye city. From one of my sons, a letter has arrived, The other two have recently died in battle. The one who survived has kept alive for now, The dead ones though have met their final end. Inside this house, there are no people left, There's just a grandson suckling on the breast. The grandson's mother also cannot go, She goes about without a skirt intact. Although I am an old woman with failing strength, I beg to follow you into the night. Please just let me work in the camp at Heyang, And to prepare the morning meal for you." Her voice then died away into the night, I seemed to hear her sob and whimper still. At dawn, before I set upon the road, It's only from the old man that I part. |