<Header>
<Author: 杜甫>
<Title: 石壕吏>
<Format: 五言古詩>
<Year: 1898>
<BookName: Chinese Poetry in English Verse>
<Translator: Herbert A. Gile>
<TranslatedTitle: THE PRESSGANG>
<BookPage: 90>
<UsedPage: 1>
<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>
There, where at eve I sought a bed,
A pressgang came, recruits to hunt;
Over the wall the goodman sped,
And left his wife to bear the brunt.
Ah me! the cruel serjeant's rage!
Ah me! how sadly she anon
Told all her story's mournful page, —
How three sons to the war had gone;
How one had sent a line to say
That two had been in battle slain:
He, from the fight had run away,
But they could ne'er come back again.
She swore 'twas all the family —
Except a grandson at the breast;
His mother too was there, but she
Was all in rags and tatters drest.
The crone with age was troubled sore,
But for herself she'd not think twice
To journey to the seat of war
And help to cook the soldier's rice.
The night wore on and stopped her talk;
Then sobs upon my hearing fell.....
At dawn when I set forth to walk,
Only the goodman cried Farewell!
<End Translation>