<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 石壕吏>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1981>
<BookName: Tu Fu -A New Translation>
<Translator: Wu, Juntao>
<TranslatedTitle: The Officials of Stone-Ditch Village>
<BookPage: 78-79>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 0>
<End Header>
<Poem>
暮投石壕邨，
有吏夜捉人。
老翁踰牆走，
老婦出門看。
吏呼一何怒，
婦啼一何苦。
聽婦前致詞，
三男鄴城戍。
一男附書致，
二男新戰死。
存者且偷生，
死者長已矣。
室中更無人，
惟有乳下孫。
有孫母未去，
出入無完帬。
老嫗力雖衰，
請從吏夜歸。
急應河陽役，
猶得備晨炊。
夜久語聲絕，
如聞泣幽咽。
天明登前途，
獨與老翁別。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
In Stone-Ditch Village, in the eve, I lodge, 
At midnight come the seizers while the cotters dodge. 
I hear the old man climbing o'er the wall, 
His old wife going to answer the call. 
How peevishly the cruel officials shout, 
How sadly the old wife sobs her heart out! 
And hark to her story, what a pity: 
"My three sons have gone to guard Ye City. 
"One of them recently wrote me a letter, 
"Telling that two brothers were killed in a battle. 
"The living has his life but for the present, 
"The dead ones are fore'er from the world absent! 
"In our home there's no man among the rest, 
"Except a grandson still sucking at the breast. 
"His mother is with us, but can't guest you, 
"As she has only a shabby skirt to show. 
"I, an old woman, am too weak to fight, 
"Still l'd like to go with you, sir, to-night. 
"Hurrying on to Heyang for the service, 
"I may cook breakfast in time for soldiers." 
Her voice fades away as the night deepens, 
It seems to linger in the air ─ her weepings. 
At day-break, further on my way l'd ply, 
To the old man alone I bid good-bye.
<End Translation>