<Header>
<Author: 韓愈>
<Title: 石鼓歌>
<Format: 七言古詩>
<Year: 1944>
<BookName: A FURTHER SELECTION FROM THE THREE HUNDRED POEMS OF THE T'ANG DYNASTY>
<Translator: SOAME JENYNS>
<TranslatedTitle: The Stone Drum Song>
<BookPage: 41-42>
<UsedPage: 2>
<Feature: 1, 2, 4>
<End Header>
<Poem>
張生手持石鼓文，
勸我試作石鼓歌。
少陵無人謫仙死，
才薄將奈石鼓何。
周綱陵遲四海沸，
宣王憤起揮天戈。
大開明堂受朝賀，
諸侯劒佩鳴相磨。
蒐于岐陽騁雄俊，
萬里禽獸皆遮羅。
鐫功勒成告萬世，
鑿石作鼓隳嵯峨。
從臣才藝咸第一，
揀選撰刻留山阿。
雨淋日炙野火燎，
鬼物守護煩撝呵。
公從何處得紙本，
毫髮盡備無差訛。
辭嚴義密讀難曉，
字體不類隸與科。
年深豈免有缺畫，
快劒斫斷生蛟鼉。
鸞翔鳳翥衆僊下，
珊瑚碧樹交枝柯。
金繩鐵索鎖紐壯，
古鼎躍水龍騰梭。
陋儒編詩不收入，
二雅褊迫無委蛇。
孔子西行不到秦，
掎摭星宿遺羲娥。
嗟予好古生苦晚，
對此涕淚雙滂沱。
憶昔初蒙博士徴，
其年始改稱元和。
故人從軍在右輔，
爲我度量掘臼科。
濯冠沐浴告祭酒，
如此至寶存豈多。
氊包席裹可立致，
十鼓祗載數駱駝。
薦諸太廟比郜鼎，
光價豈止百倍過。
聖恩若許留太學，
諸生講解得切磋。
觀經鴻都尚填咽，
坐見舉國來奔波。
剜苔剔蘚露節角，
安置妥帖平不頗。
大廈深簷與蓋覆，
經歷久遠期無佗。
中朝大官老於事，
詎肯感激徒媕婀。
牧童敲火牛礪角，
誰復著手爲摩挲。
日銷月鑠就埋沒，
六年西顧空吟哦。
羲之俗書趁姿媚，
數紙尚可博白鵝。
繼周八代爭戰罷，
無人收拾理則那。
方今太平日無事，
柄任儒術崇丘軻。
安能以此上論列，
願借辨口如懸河。
石鼓之歌止於此，
嗚呼吾意其蹉跎。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
MR. CHANG in his hand grasps the stone drum rubbing
He encourages me to compose a stone drum song.
The bard of Shao Ling is no more 
The banished angel is dead;
My talents are scanty, how can I deal with such a theme!
When the administration of Chou decayed and the empire was in turmoil,
Then the Emperor Hsuan rose in his might and brandished his celestial spear.
Wide were flung the doors of the "bright hall" to receive Court congratulations,
Marquises (came) with their pendent swords jangling as they rattled against each other,
They hunted on the southern slopes of Mount Ch’i
The galloping of their horses was a fine sight;
For ten thousand miles (the corpses) of birds and animals were strewn and scattered.
He cut and chiselled (these drums) to record his achievement for the information of ages to come;
To chisel the stone to make the drums they destroyed a jutting crag.
The officials he employed were all first-class craftsmen
He selected them and bade them compose the text and engrave it: 
But the stones were left exposed on the hill-side.
The rain has soaked them, the sun has scorched them, forest fires have burnt them,
But the fairy spirits have guarded them and cherished them.
From where, Mr. Chang, I wonder did you get this rubbing?
Not a hair's breadth differing from the original, without the least error
The style is severe, the meaning secret and hard to understand;
The style of the characters is not the "li" or the tadpole
Years have passed and some strokes must be missing;
The strokes are like sharp swords that cut in twain living dragons and lizards,
The luan soar and the phœnix wheel, a crowd of immortals beneath them;
The coral and jade trees entwine their branches interlocked,
Golden cords and iron ropes twist and interlock
(Elusive as) the ancient tripod that leapt into the waters, 
Or a shuttle rising to heaven in the form of a dragon.
The meagre scholars (of that day) wrote but forgot to mention them,
Therefore the Two Ya were constricted and not entirely complete.
Confucius on his journey to the west did not reach Ch’in,
So his anthology as it were included the stars but omitted the sun and moon.
Alas! I luckless who love ancient things was born too late
And when I think of this my tears flow down like torrents;
I remember when I was first appointed Doctor in the Academy
In the first year of Yüan-ho.
An old friend who was a soldier in the garrison of the right
Went into the matter for me and excavated round the site where the drums lay buried.
I washed my hat and myself with reverent ceremony before reporting to my chief saying
"How many precious things like these have been preserved?
They ought to be wrapped in felt and covered in matting and then could be removed speedily;
These ten drums could be carried easily on the backs of a few camels.
My proposal is they should be (exhibited) in the Great Temple like the Kao incense tripod,
But their glory and value exceed the latter by more than a hundredfold;
Or if his holy Majesty permits let them be put in the academy
Where scholars would be able to expound and explain them by intensive research
(Just as in the olden days) when the Classics (were engraved in stone) and set up outside the Hung-tu.
Then (the carriages) would fill the street, and while men sat and looked the whole country would come hastening like waves of the sea.
Scoop out the lichen and scrape the moss to expose the characters knots and horns,
Place them in precise arrangement, evenly and without crooked-ness
(Build) a massive pavilion with deep eaves to cover it
That will last for long periods and defy time."
But the great officials of court had grown slack in their duties
How could they be interested or moved? for choice they vacillate and hesitate;
So the shepherd boy strikes fire on the drums and the cattle sharpen their horns on them,
Who else is there to caress or care for them?
Just now all is peaceful and there are no troubles,
Authority is entrusted to men of learning
Men honour Confucius and Mencius:
But how can I get this matter put down for fuller considera-tion?
I wish I could borrow the mouth of an orator that flowed like a waterfall.
The song of the stone drums finishes here,
But alas! My thoughts are all fruitless and vain
$((Since I made the above recommendation without success))$
Suns have waxed and moons waned, and soon they will be buried and disappear.
For six years I have gazed to the west in vain making my plaint.
Wang Hsi-chih's carved script was the cause of adoration and pleasure,
Yet some papers of them could be exchanged for a few white geese.
Since Chou there have been eight dynasties fraught with strife, which only now has ceased,
Yet no one collects or cares for these drums.
$(What is the reason for it?)$
<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
MR. CHANG in his hand grasps the stone drum rubbing
He encourages me to compose a stone drum song.
The bard of Shao Ling is no more The banished angel is dead;
My talents are scanty, how can I deal with such a theme!
When the administration of Chou decayed and the empire was in turmoil,
Then the Emperor Hsuan rose in his might and brandished his celestial spear.
Wide were flung the doors of the "bright hall" to receive Court congratulations,
Marquises (came) with their pendent swords jangling as they rattled against each other,
They hunted on the southern slopes of Mount Ch’i The galloping of their horses was a fine sight;
For ten thousand miles (the corpses) of birds and animals were strewn and scattered.
He cut and chiselled (these drums) to record his achievement for the information of ages to come;
To chisel the stone to make the drums they destroyed a jutting crag.
The officials he employed were all first-class craftsmen
He selected them and bade them compose the text and engrave it: But the stones were left exposed on the hill-side.
The rain has soaked them, the sun has scorched them, forest fires have burnt them,
But the fairy spirits have guarded them and cherished them.
From where, Mr. Chang, I wonder did you get this rubbing?
Not a hair's breadth differing from the original, without the least error
The style is severe, the meaning secret and hard to understand;
The style of the characters is not the "li" or the tadpole
Years have passed and some strokes must be missing;
The strokes are like sharp swords that cut in twain living dragons and lizards,
The luan soar and the phœnix wheel, a crowd of immortals beneath them;
The coral and jade trees entwine their branches interlocked,
Golden cords and iron ropes twist and interlock
(Elusive as) the ancient tripod that leapt into the waters, Or a shuttle rising to heaven in the form of a dragon.
The meagre scholars (of that day) wrote but forgot to mention them,
Therefore the Two Ya were constricted and not entirely complete.
Confucius on his journey to the west did not reach Ch’in,
So his anthology as it were included the stars but omitted the sun and moon.
Alas! I luckless who love ancient things was born too late
And when I think of this my tears flow down like torrents;
I remember when I was first appointed Doctor in the Academy
In the first year of Yüan-ho.
An old friend who was a soldier in the garrison of the right
Went into the matter for me and excavated round the site where the drums lay buried.
I washed my hat and myself with reverent ceremony before reporting to my chief saying
"How many precious things like these have been preserved?
They ought to be wrapped in felt and covered in matting and then could be removed speedily;
These ten drums could be carried easily on the backs of a few camels.
My proposal is they should be (exhibited) in the Great Temple like the Kao incense tripod,
But their glory and value exceed the latter by more than a hundredfold;
Or if his holy Majesty permits let them be put in the academy
Where scholars would be able to expound and explain them by intensive research
(Just as in the olden days) when the Classics (were engraved in stone) and set up outside the Hung-tu.
Then (the carriages) would fill the street, and while men sat and looked the whole country would come hastening like waves of the sea.
Scoop out the lichen and scrape the moss to expose the characters knots and horns,
Place them in precise arrangement, evenly and without crooked-ness
(Build) a massive pavilion with deep eaves to cover it
That will last for long periods and defy time."
But the great officials of court had grown slack in their duties
How could they be interested or moved? for choice they vacillate and hesitate;
So the shepherd boy strikes fire on the drums and the cattle sharpen their horns on them,
Who else is there to caress or care for them?
Suns have waxed and moons waned, and soon they will be buried and disappear.
For six years I have gazed to the west in vain making my plaint.
Wang Hsi-chih's carved script was the cause of adoration and pleasure,
Yet some papers of them could be exchanged for a few white geese.
Since Chou there have been eight dynasties fraught with strife, which only now has ceased,
Yet no one collects or cares for these drums.
Just now all is peaceful and there are no troubles,
Authority is entrusted to men of learning Men honour Confucius and Mencius:
But how can I get this matter put down for fuller considera-tion?
I wish I could borrow the mouth of an orator that flowed like a waterfall.
The song of the stone drums finishes here,
But alas! My thoughts are all fruitless and vain
$((Since I made the above recommendation without success))$
$(What is the reason for it?)$
<End Formatted Translation>