<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 丹青引贈曹將軍霸>
<Format: 七言古詩>
<Year: 1987>
<BookName: 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation>
<Translator: 許淵冲, 陸佩弦, 吳鈞陶>
<TranslatedTitle: Ode on a Painting – To General Cao Ba>
<BookPage: 169-171>
<UsedPage: 3>
<Feature: 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
將軍魏武之子孫，
於今爲庶爲清門。
英雄割據雖已矣，
文彩風流猶尚存。
學書初學衛夫人，
但恨無過王右軍。
丹青不知老將至，
富貴於我如浮雲。
開元之中常引見，
承恩數上南熏殿。
凌煙功臣少顏色，
將軍下筆開生面。
良相頭上進賢冠，
猛將腰間大羽箭。
褒公鄂公毛髮動英姿颯爽來酣戰。
先帝天馬玉花驄，
畫工如山貌不同。
是日牽來赤墀下，
迥立閶闔生長風。
詔謂將軍拂絹素，
意匠慘澹經營中。
斯須九重真龍出，
一洗萬古凡馬空。
玉花却在御榻上，
榻上庭前屹相向。
至尊含笑催賜金，
圉人太僕皆惆悵。
弟子韓幹早入室，
亦能畫馬窮殊相。
幹惟畫肉不畫骨，
忍使驊騮氣凋喪。
將軍畫善蓋有神，
必逢佳士亦寫真。
即今飄泊干戈際，
屢貌尋常行路人。
途窮反遭俗眼白，
世上未有如公貧。
但看古來盛名下，
終日坎壈纏其身。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
O general, scion of Emperor Wu of Wei you are,
And now but a commoner living a life below par!
The hero with his separatist regimen was gone;
His literary talent yet was to you handed down.
Calligraphy you first modeled on Lady Wei Shu;
The one thing we regret is that you can't surpass Wang Xizhi.
Absorbed in painting, you know not old age is coming;
Indeed, "To me wealth and rank are like clouds scudding."
In the reign of Kaiyuan more than once you went to the court at call;
His Majesty granted you audience in Southern-Scent Hall.
When the portraits in the Tower of Fame have with time grown dark,
You, a general, gave fresh looks to all these men of mark.
The scholar-hats were on the heads of the ministers wise;
The long-feathered shafts were by the valiant generals' sides.
The Duke of Bao and the Duke of Er, their hair seems to stir,
With bearings bold and brave as if they're fighting in a whirl.
The late Emperor Xuanzong's "Spots of Jade", a piebald steed;
Numerous painters painted, but none had done well indeed.
That day when it was led to the palace's scarlet steps,
It stood spirited at the gate, as the wind blew its mane with flaps.
The imperial edict bade you unfold the silk scroll,
And the painstaking composition of art in your mind rolls.
In no time, came out of the Ninth Heaven a real dragon;
All horses that had been born were as nothing before your paragon!
And then Jade-Spots stood there above the Emperor's couch;
It saw its own image now, the steed by the steps could vouch.
His Majesty smiled and pressed to give gold in reward,
While amazement was the stablemen and Royal Grooms' award.
Your pupil Han Gan has long since learned your biliant art;
In various postures he can also draw the horses smart.
But not to the bone, he described merely their flesh sleek,
How could he have made the precious steed's spirit meek?
God might have helped you the general to paint so fine;
To portray genuine worthy men was also in your line.
Yet now in the chaotic times you drift about and ply,
For living's sake you have to draw the common passersby.
Worldlings look down on you when you have come to the dead-end;
And there's no one poorer than you throughout our native land!
Just look at the men of old with great reputation
Who all have gone through their lives in privation!
<End Translation>