<Header>
<Author: 王建>
<Title: 聞故人自征戍回>
<Format: 格式不明>
<Year: 1919>
<BookName: MORE TRANSLATIONS FROM THE CHINESE>
<Translator: Waley, Arthur>
<TranslatedTitle: HEARING THAT HIS FRIEND WAS COMING BACK FROM THE WAR>
<BookPage: 103>
<UsedPage: 1>
<Feature: 3>
<End Header>
<Poem>
昔聞著征戍，
三年一還鄉。
今來不換兵，
須死在戰場。
念子無氣力，
徒學事戎行。
少年得生還，
有同墮穹蒼。
自去報爾家，
再行上高堂。
爾弟修廢櫪，
爾母縫新裳。
恍恍恐不真，
猶未苦承望。
每日空出城，
畏渴攜壺漿。
安得縮地經，
忽使在我傍。
亦知遠行勞，
人悴馬玄黃。
慎莫多停留，
苦我居者腸。
<End Poem>
<Translation>
IN old days those who went to fight
In three years had one year's leave.
But in this war the soldiers are never changed;
They must go on fighting till they die on the battle-field.
I thought of you, so weak and indolent,
Hopelessly trying to learn to march and drill.
That a young man should ever come home again
Seemed about as likely as that the sky should fall.
Since I got the news that you were coming back,
Twice I have mounted to the high wall of your home.
I found your brother mending your horse's stall;
I found your mother sewing your new clothes.
I am half afraid; perhaps it is not true;
Yet I never weary of watching for you on the road.
Each day I go out at the City Gate
With a flask of wine, lest you should come thirsty.
Oh that I could shrink the surface of the World,
So that suddenly I might find you standing at my side!
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<End Translation>
<Formatted Translation>
IN old days those who went to fight
In three years had one year's leave.
But in this war the soldiers are never changed;
They must go on fighting till they die on the battle-field.
I thought of you, so weak and indolent,
Hopelessly trying to learn to march and drill.
That a young man should ever come home again
Seemed about as likely as that the sky should fall.
Since I got the news that you were coming back,
Twice I have mounted to the high wall of your home.
I found your brother mending your horse's stall;
I found your mother sewing your new clothes.
I am half afraid; perhaps it is not true;
Yet I never weary of watching for you on the road.
Each day I go out at the City Gate
With a flask of wine, lest you should come thirsty.
Oh that I could shrink the surface of the World,
So that suddenly I might find you standing at my side!
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0
<End Formatted Translation>