<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 潼關吏>
<Format: 古詩>
<Year: 1981>
<BookName: Tu Fu -A New Translation>
<Translator: Wu, Juntao>
<TranslatedTitle: The Official of Tong Pass>
<BookPage: 76-77>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 2, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
士卒何草草，
築城潼關道。
大城鐵不如，
小城萬丈餘。
借問潼關吏：
“修關還備胡？”
要我下馬行，
為我指山隅：
“連雲列戰格，
飛鳥不能逾。
胡來但自守，
豈復憂西都。
丈人視要處，
窄狹容單車。
艱難奮長戟，
萬古用一夫。”
“哀哉桃林戰，
百萬化為魚。
請囑防關將，
慎勿學哥舒！”
<End Poem>
<Translation>
How weary are the privates in their toil
O'er building walls, at Tong Pass, with the soil. 
The towers here and there, bigger and smaller, 
Are iron-bound, ten thousand feet$(, and taller)$. 
I ask the official of Tong Pass, and he describes,
"Once more, it's to guard against Northern Tribes." 
Inviting me to dismount and have a walk 
With him, he points about their mountain work. 
"The palisades thrust high to clouds in the sky; 
"Birds e'en can't manage over them to fly. 
"We need but hold the place if the tribes invade, 
"And Chang-an would be kept out of their raid.
"Please, sir, look at the vital place, so narrow 
"That it allows but one chariot to go through. 
"E'er since ancient times when began the war, 
"One lancer's enough to guard the strait door. 
"Woe has been the battle at Peach Trees Fort. 
"Millions of soldiers died like fish of a sort.  
"Please tell the Pass Commandant to be discreet,
"Not like Geshu Han who suffered a defeat."
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
How weary are the privates in their toil
O'er building walls, at Tong Pass, with the soil. 
The towers here and there, bigger Are iron-bound, 
and smaller ten thousand feet$(, and taller)$. 
I ask the official of Tong Pass, and he describes,
"Once more, it's to guard against Northern Tribes." 
Inviting me to dismount and have a walk 
With him, he points about their mountain work. 
"The palisades thrust high to clouds in the sky; 
"Birds e'en can't manage over them to fly. 
"We need but hold the place if the tribes invade, 
"And Chang-an would be kept out of their raid.
"Please, sir, look at the vital place, 
so narrow "That it allows but one chariot to go through. 
"One lancer's enough to guard the strait door.
"E'er since ancient times when began the war, 
"Woe has been the battle at Peach Trees Fort. 
"Millions of soldiers died like fish of a sort.  
"Please tell the Pass Commandant to be discreet,
"Not like Geshu Han who suffered a defeat."
<End Formatted Translation>