李颀

　　古意

　　男儿事长征， 少小幽燕客，

　　赌胜马蹄下， 由来轻七尺；

　　杀人莫敢前， 须如蝟毛磔。

　　黄云陇底白雪飞， 未得报恩不能归。

　　辽东小妇年十五， 惯弹琵琶解歌舞，

　　今为羌笛出塞声， 使我三军泪如雨。

　　Seven-character-ancient-verse

　　Li Qi

　　AN OLD AIR

　　There once was a man, sent on military missions,

　　A wanderer, from youth, on the You and Yan frontiers.

　　Under the horses' hoofs¹ he would meet his foes²

　　And, recklessly risking his seven-foot body,

　　Would slay³ whoever dared confront

　　Those moustaches that bristled⁴ like porcupinequills.

　　……There were dark clouds below the hills, there were white clouds above them,

　　But before a man has served full time, how can he go back？

　　In eastern Liao a girl was waiting, a girl of fifteen years,

　　Deft⁵ with a guitar, expert in dance and song.

　　……She seems to be fluting⁶, even now, a reed-song of home,

　　Filling every soldier's eyes with homesick tears.