Wang Changling: In Years Past, Great Battles Were Fought On The Great Wall High; 王昌齡 昔日長城戰 咸言意氣高 黃塵足今古 白骨亂蓬蒿。 Poem by Frank Yue

SAI XIA QU: The Border Song No.2 (of 4)
-- by Wang Changling (698-757)
-- Translated by Frank C Yue

The horses we water'd, the Autumn river we ford'd;
The water was freezing, and the wind, sharp as sword.
O'er the boundless sands, for us the slanting Sun waits;
In the growing darkness, the dim view of Lin Tao fades.

In years past, great battles were fought on the Great Wall high;
Our warriors' fighting spirit was high (but many died) .
As always, yellow dust and sand rule supreme here;
Weeds and thistles grow thick among the white bones bare.


【塞下曲】四首其二 唐 • 王昌齡

飲馬渡秋水，水寒風似刀。

平沙日未沒，黯黯見臨洮。

昔日長城戰，咸言意氣高。

黃塵足今古，白骨亂蓬蒿。

(本題一作【望臨洮】)